The 475th Annual Quarter Quell
by Squintz
Summary: SYOT is closed! Welcome to the Quarter Quell, where stakes rest high as the Capitol devises to pair up each Tribute with their opposing personality, and then send in an ally from The Capitol itself! What could go wrong? Rated T for violence and some language.
1. District 1 Reaping

**Welcome to the Hunger Games... Excited? I hope so! Leave your thoughts on the Tributes in a review! I hope you guys like this one! It should be better written... And more interesting. Enjoy! Review! ~Squintz**

_DISTRICT 1 REAPING_

**Bay Rossey -**

The clang of the swords sounds out, echoing against the walls of the semi-empty training room. Terry laughs, then dives to the ground and kicks me in the shin. I go falling backwards, and grit my teeth in anger. I get up, then shove the sword butt into his chest and knock him down. I slam my foot against his chest, holding him down as I point the end of the rapier sword at his throat. He drops his sword at his side, and opens up his hands.

"You win," He says with a laugh.

"What?" I growl.

"What do you mean what?" The decently young Terry asks, running a hand through his dull black hair.

"What was that laugh for?" I ask defensively, walking after him as he grabs his water bottle and slaps some water across the back of his neck.

"Uh... It was only a laugh?" He says in a questioning voice, wiping his forehead with a towel.

"No. You were mocking me." I accuse, slapping him over the back of the head.

He shakes his head, then rolls his eyes, sitting down. I glare at him, and he pats the bench. I close my eyes, then let out a sigh, and sit down next to him. He swallows some water, then rests his palms on his knees.

"Bay..." He lets out a quiet sigh, my name escaping his mouth in a breath.

"What?" I snap.

"You know... You're the richest kid in this Academy." He says.

"I know. That's why I attend the private one." I mutter, poking at my fingernails.

"I know that. And you're lucky, you know? I wouldn't hold my head so high, if I was you. I mean, there are plenty of things out there to be afraid of. And, if you keep acting like a bi-"

I cut him off before he can finish.

"Then I'll be left with no friends, no boyfriend, and the Capitol will hate me when I enter the Hunger Games. Even though they eat up arrogance like they live off of it, they won't like it too much." I roll my eyes, standing up and swinging the rapier around in my hand.

"Nevermind. You'll always act like a stuck up know it all... I mean, you've been the same since you were four, so, I don't know when you'll change. I try. I don't know why. But I try and get to you. But since you won't listen, you can enjoy the rejection from all the people you care about when it gets too out of control..." He says.

Things are silent for a while. I continue to twirl the sword, looking around. I just let his words go through one ear, and out the other unless we're training. He stands up, then scuffs a shoe along the ground.

"You did your homework... Right?" He asks.

"Watched the last Quell? Yeah." I reply.

Terry assigns me 'homework' sometimes. This can be from anything to hunting small animals outside my house, or just watching past Hunger Games. Well, last night it was watching the tape of the most recent Quell. It was pretty interesting, too. What with the blind girl, the seven year old, and who could forget the psychopathic Beau Infernetti? Actually, he was pretty hot... But, that's not the point!

"What'd you learn?" He reaches for my rapier, and I tuck it back in my belt.

"I learned that hot boys usually get further in the Games... Slowness gets you caught by Careers... Reed Nile was totally betraying his girlfriend... Being seven years old gets you killed first... And, well, you get killed from avenging your boyfriend's death. Like that District Twelve girl!" I exclaim, nodding my head with a smug grin on my face.

"Like I said... Why do I even try? Go get yourself cleaned up... The Reaping starts in half an hour..." Terry sighs, resting his head in his hands.

"Alright!" I say cheerfully, picking up my bright pink training bag.

I pull out my sword, and put it in the bag, then zip up the cover and dart through the door. The bright sunlight fills my eyes, and I take note that people are already flooding the Square. I keep running, shielding my eyes as I go, and then I smack right into a girl. I fall flat on my butt, and I stand up. The girl scrambles to her feet.

"Watch where you're going you stupid-" I start up on my temper, but... Oops... It's Yasmine.

"I'm sorry." She says quickly, brushing off her little gold skirt.

"It's fine. Like, whatever, right?" I force a laugh, then place my hands on my hips.

Yasmine is my best friend... Probably my only friend, too... Maybe Terry's right, but I refuse to listen to him. None of that's true. If it was, I wouldn't even have Yasmine. So, forget him...

"Sure. Uh, I gotta go... I'll see you later?" She says quietly.

"Alright." I reply, running off.

'Wow. That was awkward...' I think as I bolt through the enormous, glossy fence leading to my family's mansion. I burst through the glass door, and look around. My mother is clipping in earrings, and my father is straightening his tie. I dash up the stairs, and throw my training bag on my bed. Quickly, I pull off my training clothes, and put my hair down. Instantly, it returns to it's naturally curly rings. I decide I'll leave it alone.

I then walk over to my closet, and pull out my favorite dress. It's an astonishing pink color, and it flows so well. It parts at the mid thigh, branching off into two pieces. I grin, then slide it over my head, and pull it on. I then walk to the mirror, and wink at my reflection. My pale as can be skin actually clashes well with the dress, and my brown hair and eyes help even more so. I just wish I wasn't so tall... At six feet tall, I was the tallest girl in my school. And my Academy.

"Bay!" My mother's voice calls from downstairs.

I close my door, then run down the stairs and slip my heels on when I'm on the floor again. My mom smiles at me, then nods me to the door. I walk over, and outside once more. The Square is extremely close to my house, so I can just walk there. Slowly, even. We walk in silence, and round the corner to the Square. I quickly part from my parents, and cut in front of everybody waiting for their check in. I hold my hand out, then snap my fingers.

"Do it quick, please. I have things to do." I say, examining my finger nails on my other hand.

The Peacekeeper does just that, then presses my finger to the thick paper, and waves me off. I nod, then strut my way down the isle, and take my spot in the crowd. All the other rich girls have outfits, but none are nearly as good as mine. One has a sparkling silver dress that cuts off at her upper thighs, and another has a sequined gold dress. Not nearly as sexy as mine. I flip my hair over my shoulder, then grin as the District Representative takes her place on the stage.

"Welcome, District One! We will begin, but first, a very short, very special, video from The Capitol!" She announces.

I watch as the views of the crowd turn to the enormous projector screen in the corner, and the movie plays. I turn away, watching as the District Representative mouths the words, then grins as the video ends. I look around, feeling bored, I cross my arms and drum my fingers on my arm. She laughs, then claps.

"Now let's begin!" She announces, pulling out a name.

"Christine Gloss!" She practically yells.

I walk into the isle, raise my hand, and look around. I then yell out.

"I volunteer!"

All the boys grin at me, and their tongues practically hang from their mouths. I wink at them, then make sure to put in extra hip swing as I make my way upstage. I climb the stairs, waving to all the clapping Potential Tributes. I wonder who my partner will be... Hopefully, he's hotter than Beau Infernetti. That'd guarantee me some support in the Arena. And this will all be fantastic, if it goes as planned...

**Hunter D'Agosto -**

_I crouched in the cabinet of the kitchen, holding my knees against my chest as __the loud screams and angry yells emerged from the living room. My older sister sat in the cabinet beside me, and the wood was old enough for us to speak to eachother through the material. I could hear her every shallow, quiet breath drawn, and her extremely quiet movements. They were almost silent, but not as silent as my own. I closed my eyes, clenching my fists as the scream of my mother filled the air, seeping through the cabinet surface._

_I felt the tears beginning to stream my cheeks again, and I began to wonder why these people were here... We hadn't done anything, and we didn't even know them. We didn't even know their names... But the three people were angry when they kicked down our front door, all holding weapons... The men had taken our parents out to the living room, and Paige had taken me to the kitchen to hide. She told me to stay put, so I did exactly that. And now, here we were... And I couldn't begin to imagine what kind of torturous murder they were doing to my parents._

_A cracking sound went out, and a final scream, and then a thunk. I knew that they had just killed her. The horror was unimaginable, sitting there, helpless to do anything about it. I was seven years old, and I had no idea what was really happening until I saw the weapons of the men in the black clothes, and the black painted Peacekeeper helmets they'd probably taken from Peacekeepers that they killed themselves... I didn't get how something could go so wrong in that little house full of love... But I guess in Panem things didn't work out so well, no matter where you were._

_Just then, I heard the blood curdling shriek of my older sister, Paige. The footsteps of the men leaving the room, and the kicking of her feet on the floor as she struggled to escape. Slowly, I dared peek my head out the cabinet door, and I saw as Paige rounded the corner, she mouthed her final words to me. 'Look for Nick.' She didn't have to tell me twice. I blew her a kiss, then I slipped from the cabinet, climbing up on the counter as quietly and quickly as possible. I unlatched the window above the sink, and slid it open as fast as my tiny little hands could. I jumped through the window, then ran as hard as I could. As fast as I could. My numb little legs trembling as I stumbled along the dirt road. But when I arrived at Nick's house, I collapsed on the porch, blacking out._

I sit up in bed, shaking my head. The nightmares never stopped... Ever since that day, I'd been having nightmares. Now, I was sixteen. If you don't want to do the math, that's nine years of the same terrible nightmare every night... Every night it was the same episode, the same expressions, the same people... It never stopped. And it probably never would. Quickly, I rid the sheets from my legs, desperate to get out of the bed. I pull a shirt over my head, walking from my room.

Nick makes his way down the hall before me, leaning against the wall and yawning heavily. I laugh, then pat his shoulder as I chew on my bottom lip. Nick chuckles, and I noogie his caramel brown hair. He grabs my hand and pushes it away, giving me a hug.

"Good morning, sunshine." I say playfully, opening the kitchen door.

"Good morning, Hunt." He laughs, pulling a bagel from the cupboard.

"Hey, uh, Reaping's today... Right?" Nick asks, pushing the tab down on the toaster, and picking up a plate.

"Yes, sir. How can you forget?" I tease, walking past him as I pull a glass from the cupboard and pour some milk into it.

As of this point, I can pick up Nick isn't sensing my act. Every morning, I'm a bit worried that he'll know I'm acting. I act so he doesn't ask about my nightmares... He did once, but I covered it up. He was extremely curious, and continued to bother me about it. I just told him it was a simple nightmare. That's when the acting started. Just acting like I never had the nightmares, and that I had the dreams of any other normal person. Apparently, it worked, too. Because he never had a suspicion since then.

"I dunno... I mean, it is something freaky that nobody likes... But, I guess you're right. Whatever." Nick laughs, grabbing his bagel from the toaster and chowing down on it.

He walks over as I lift the glass to my lips, and pulls it from my hands, taking a swallow and giving it back to me. I laugh, rolling my eyes and taking my desired sip. Just then, Nick's mother walks in. She smiles at us, stretching and yawning.

"Morning, boys." She says cheerfully.

"Hey, mom." Nick says dryly.

"Good morning." I smile to her.

"Well, good morning cheery eyes." She laughs, patting my shoulder.

I chuckle, then drink the rest of my milk. Standing up, I give Nick's mother a quick hug, then let out a sigh.

"I think I'm going to go get ready, now." I say, walking from the room as Nick and his mother start to talk.

I go back into my room, then walk to my dresser, wondering what I'll wear. First, I walk to the big window, and draw the shades. Natural light fills the room, and I smile. Well, everything is good... Until... Until I see a bug. I scream at the top of my lungs, and grab the alarm clock on my nightstand. The bug crawls up the wall, and it looks like a spider. I take the clock and bash it into the wall over and over, missing the bug each time.

"Die!" I yell, finally crushing the bug.

Chills run down my spine, and I shake my head. I hate bugs so much... Ick. I look at the bug guts on my clock, frowning. Even grosser. I slide open the window, then toss the clock out, and close the window again. It's pretty cold outside, and I don't want more bugs in my room... Nasty...

Anyway, after that soap opera, I returned back to my dresser. Slowly, I run my fingers across the wood, then grab the knob on the middle and pull the drawer open. My Reaping outfit lies there perfectly. I had ironed it the day before, and I was prepared.

First, I slide on a white undershirt, and tug on my black button down shirt. I button it up, then pull out my white blazer. I'd been waiting to test this out... I pull it on, then straighten it out and smile at my reflection. Then, I put on my brown pants, and my white sneakers. I look pretty decent, not to blow my own horn. I spike up the front of my hair, leaving the rest to stay loose, and then I'm on my way. I pick up my bangle on the way, sliding it over my wrist. Nick gave it to me when we were younger. On the front, it's engraved. "Loyalty and Brotherhood". I just wondered if he knew I wanted to be more than friends... But, whatever. I try not to think about it.

I walk down the hall, shutting the door to my room, and going down to the front door. I look out to the kitchen, and Nick has gone to his room. Only Nick's father and his mother stand against the counter. They look up at me, and I wave.

"I'm going, now. I'm a bit late... I was wondering if you could send Nick down once he comes back?" I say quietly.

"Sure thing, son." Nick's father nods, smiling at me.

"Thank you!" I laugh, running out the door and down to the Square.

When I reach the edge of the Square, people are already rushing to get in. I file into the line, moving with the other potentials at a painstakingly slow pace. Then, I'm in the front after what seems like ages. I hold out my finger, watching cautiously as the Peacekeeper draws my blood, then sticks it on the paper. I'm ushered off, and I walk down the isle of the Square. I find my place in line, then watch as the girl Tribute volunteers.

No surprise there.

Then, Nick runs over and stands in line next to me, nodding up to the stage. I smile, giving him a weak hug. He grins, then looks up to the stage again. I knew that Nick wanted to volunteer for years, but I never knew when he would really do it... I felt like something bad was about to happen... And I didn't want Nick taken from me.

"Nicholas Princeton!" I hear the words echo over the microphone, and I swallow hard.

Nick laughs, then dives into the isle, fistpumping and cheering. I can't take it... I don't want to lose Nick... He's my brother... And, I also love him. I charge through the boys, pushing and shoving just as Nick climbs the stairs. I raise my hand, then yell out.

"I volunteer! I volunteer! I volunteer for Tribute!" I yell.

Nick turns around, a look of anger covering his face. I know this is a new thing to him... He always gets what he wants... I run down the isle, and Nick storms down the stairs. Everything is silent... He glares at me, and I look down at my feet. He just shakes his head, then walks off with fists clenched at his sides. I walk up the stairs slowly, looking at the tall girl that stands inches above me. She must be at least 6 feet tall. She grins down at me, and I hold out my hand. She grabs it, clenches it tight, and shakes it slowly and menacingly. With a wink, she turns and leads both the District Representative and I to the Justice Building... Where I'll finally have time to explain to Nick...


	2. District 2 Reaping

**Hey guys! Sorry for the long wait... I had a busy week. Hope you don't mind the delay, but here's the District Two Reaping. Enjoy! :) ~Squintz**

_DISTRICT 2 REAPING_

**Emiliana Vincere -**

"Again!" My mother yells, cradling her dog, Angel, in her arms.

The new recruit, who calls herself Panther, is attempting to take me down in a fist fight. Despite my weakness against physical strength, I'd been doing pretty good. I'd taken her down three times, and my mother wouldn't let this recruit lose to a younger girl. Panther isn't even trying, in my eyes, she's just setting something up, I'm sure. I've been around plenty of recruits, and my mother always let me help.

I stand up on the mat, tying my long hair back again, and grinning at Panther. Panther laughs, scratching at her short black hair, and clenching her fists. We take stance, and my mother nods, then laughs.

"Go!" She says.

Panther lunges at me, a grunt of determination escaping her thick lips. I quickly slide aside, diving underneath her and returning to my feet. Speed was what I used most of the time, and as Panther hit the floor, I was excited to see her reaction. She turns to me, blood dribbled from her bottom lip. Now, Panther was a little weird... She had her canine teeth sharpened to points, and had her eyes genetically altered to look like a cat's eyes. She really loved this whole panther get up, and when we asked her what she went by, she said Panther.

Well, panthers are masters of stealth, and that was her strength. Definitely not hand to hand combat. She grins in a twisted way, just for fun, she flashes her fangs. I go to lunge, when she gives me a nice roundhouse kick to the gut. I tumble backwards, and she jumps on top of me, pinning me to the ground. She goes to swing a punch, and my mom is barking commands at her. I can barely hear from the flood of adrenaline surging through my veins, making my heartbeat pound in my ears.

Quickly, I grab her wrist as she goes in for another punch. I twist it as far as it will go, and then shove her off of me. The 23 year old girl lets out a growl, then swings her fist around. I tumble backwards on the mat, black dots filling my vision in one eye. For a second, I think I'm going to go blind, and my mother rushes to my side. Only after giving Panther a pat on the back. Panther helps me up, and I hold my eye. When they lead me to the bench, I sit there holding my eye, not dare letting it go.

"Let me see, Emiliana." Panther says in a kind voice.

Slowly, I pull my hand from my eye, setting it on my knee. My mother sighs, then walks from the basement to get me an icepack. I give Panther a high five, then tilt my head.

"Black eye?" I ask.

"Yep." Panther chuckles.

"Thanks!" I laugh, giving her a quick hug.

Panther smiles at me, her sharp teeth overlapping the bottom ones. I wonder if it hurt to get them filed like that... Anyway, Panther sits down beside me, adjusting her black tank top. I poke at my eye, then pull my hand away.

"You gonna be alright?" She asks me.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Plenty of recruits have done worse to me... When I was fourteen a new recruit named Bruce knocked me out. I was down for about an hour." I laugh, vaguely remembering that day.

"An hour... An hour..." Panther thinks.

"Crap! The Reaping!" I yell, standing up.

My mom makes her way down the stairs, cradling Angel in one hand, and my icepack in the other. She smacks it to my eye, then nods me upstairs.

"Thanks, mom." I say, pressing the pack to my face and heading upstairs.

When I get up, I see my grandmother sitting on the couch, blankly staring at the television. It's recaps of the past Hunger Games... The past Quell, to be exact. Slowly, I walk over and sit beside her. She turns to me, a sad smile covering her face. I smile, then give her a little hug.

"What are you thinking about, Gran Mama?" I ask, watching as the camera zooms in on a heartfelt kiss between the boy from District Two and the girl from Four.

She lets out a sad sigh, then shakes her head. "Just these Games... They're sick. Just like your job!" She says with a more playful tone in the last sentence, giving me a poke.

"Gran Mama, we talk about this every day." I say with a light laugh.

Basically, my grandmother didn't approve of what I was doing. My father is the head of the Vincere Mafia. An entire organization of Vincere family and others who dared to join us. I helped train the recruits, and sometimes even take out a few threats to the family business. But, to my grandmother, this was all wrong. It got us a lot, though. We were living in an enormous mansion, and we were constantly being guarded. Guards are always standing outside the front gate, and I like it because it makes me feel secure.

"Yes, but Emiliana, my flower, it will only last so long before you want to turn things around..." She says, turning back to the television and watching as the oldest Tribute in the Quell helps out two young girls.

"I'm sorry Gran Mama, but this is what I do. It's who I am... Anyway, I have to go get ready. Reaping starts soon." I say quietly, walking to the staircase.

I march my way up, stopping halfway to look down at my grandmother. She hangs her head and nods it in sadness as a Tribute is killed. I close my eyes, suck in a breath, then keep walking up the stairs. I open the door to my room, my fingers grazing over my favorite knives. They're in the shape of sharks, and they sort of crawl up my arms when I hold the handle. They're amazing. They were given to me by a recruit named Jason. He had basically become my big brother, and he always had my back.

I sigh, then walk over to my closet door and open it up. I walk into the room full of shirts, shoes, skirts, and pants. I wonder what I'll wear... And then my eyes feast upon a dress I'd never worn before. A white pencil dress. My grandmother had bought it for me, but I never wore it. Slowly, I pulled it off the hanger, walking to my mirror.

I pull on the dress that hangs to mid thigh, sitting under my arms with no straps. I smile, looking at the design of silver vines on my chest. I look for some shoes, and decide on my silver pumps, completed with my expensive silver hoop earrings. When I look in the mirror again, it's like I'm looking at a totally different person. I still need one more thing... I walk into my bathroom, throw on some makeup, then make my way downstairs.

My mother and Panther emerge from the basement as I reach the first floor, and my mother looks at me with a confused face. I lift a brow at her, laughing uneasily. I don't know what the problem is...

"You better be wearing underwear under that, because if you aren't, the boys are going to-" She begins.

"I know, mom. I'm wearing them, yes. Calm down!" I laugh, giving her a hug.

"I'm going to the Reaping. I'll be back in a while." I say.

"I'll come with you!" My mother insists, following me out the door.

"Alright." I say, walking down the enormous concrete path and out the front gates of my house.

We walk down the street, hang a left, and arrive at the Square. The Square is already overflowing with people, and my mother just strolls on behind me. I get to cut in front of the line, because everybody clears the way. I nod, smile at them in respect, and get my blood drawn, get it scanned, and continue into the crowd. When I'm in my area, my mother goes to her's, and it's like the District Representative is eager to start... Well, they always are.

"Welcome District Two! We're so glad to have you! Let's begin with the video, then hurry on to the Reaping!" She says.

The video starts, finishes, and she blabs on again.

"Alright, time to pick our female Tribute!" She smiles.

"Our female Tribute is... Miss Jacqueline Cleaver!" She yells.

The redheaded girl steps from the crowd, making her way up the stage. I slowly clench my fists, then run out into the isle. With a full blown grin, and a heart racing with excitement, I yell the four words.

"I volunteer as Tribute!"

"Come on then, dear!" The District Representative grins at me, waving me up to the stage.

**Sterling Peeters -**

I get up in bed slowly, rubbing my eyes. The dark of the room is overwhelming, and I switch on the lamp next to my bed. I sweep the covers off my legs, sitting on the edge of the bed. I yawn, stretching out my arms, and getting up. I feel so drained every morning, it's like it will never end... I open the door, seeing my trembling hands, and make my way slowly down the hallway.

I reach the kitchen right before I'm about to collapse, and I swing open the fridge. I quickly pour myself some orange juice, and begin to down it. My body really needs some sugar... Diabetes gave me a hard hit, and it wasn't long until I died. But until then, I was determined to get into the Arena and have my vengeance on the District Five Tributes. My little sister died in the Arena five years ago... Her District Five "allies" betrayed her and murdered her towards the end of the Games. Just goes to show you can't trust anybody in that Arena.

My body is starting to feel a tiny bit stronger, and I pull an apple from the fridge, eating it heartily. I walk back to my room, seeing my mom sitting on my bed. I smile sadly, and sit next to her. She holds my pillow in her lap, slowly stroking the surface. I give her a light hug, my arm becoming sore from lifting it too fast with too little energy. She smiles at me, then shakes her head.

"I don't feel like this is a good idea..." My mother says quietly.

"Mom, every year I try and volunteer, somebody beats me too it. I'm a Victor's son, for God's sake! Can't I get a freaking break?" I yell, burying my face in my hands.

I had a terrible temper, ever since I watched my younger sister die... And I had become extremely violent. I let that one moment fuel my actions, and I thrived off of it. It was a flame in my chest that couldn't be extinguished. It was unthinkable to try and forget it, because I remembered every minute of it. That day, something changed inside me... Something broke. And I lost it.

"Calm down, Sterling." She says in a calm voice.

"Just... I don't want to! I can't! I'm going to kill everybody in District Five! I hate them! I hate them so much! I hope they all go to hell!" I scream as loud as I can, pulling some hair from my head.

"Sterling, please!" My mother says, raising her voice a bit.

"Shut up! You know you want them dead! You know you do! It's not long before I die with her, so why not do it now?! Why not kill them, then die myself?!" I holler, watching her stand.

"You know _nothing_," I spat, shaking my head.

"Nothing." I say again.

"I do, actually. I watched my own daughter die on national television. If that's knowing nothing, tell me what isn't." She says, shaking her head.

She walks from my room, slamming the door behind her.

"Whatever!" I scream through the door, picking up the clock on my table and throwing it against the wall.

It shatters into pieces, hitting the floor hard. I shake my head, then scream out a bunch of cuss words. Today was the day I was going to finally get my way. No matter what... I walk to my dresser, pull out my Reaping outfit, and prepare to go to the Square.

I won't bother touching my hair, because it's become lifeless to me. It hangs there, and if I cut it I'll look even more ridiculous. So, I leave my hair down, and I slide on my black button down shirt, buttoning each one, and then pulling on my white pants and matching shoes. I quickly finish my apple and my orange juice, then make my way out the door.

My friends Niall and Foy should be at the Square soon, because I woke up late. I just stroll down the street, taking a few turns until I reach the Square. The check in line steps aside for a girl and her mother, and I roll my eyes. How ridiculous. We're only supposed to respect the Capitol. I shake my head, cutting ahead in line and shoving my finger out to the Peacekeeper. I'm son of a Victor, I can do what I want.

She silently takes my blood, presses it to the sheet, then moves me aside. I take my stance in the front of the crowd, watching as the District Representative becomes eager to move things along. She views the video, then draws the female, who is instantly replaced by the girl that cut in line with her mother. I nod slowly, seeing the way she holds her head high walking on stage. Then, I see the Representative drawing the boy's name.

She returns to the microphone, then reads the name out loud.

"Tex R-" She can't even say his last name before I dive into the isle and scream out as loud as I can.

"I volunteer! I volunteer!" I scream.

"Amazing!" She claps her hands, waving me on stage.

I run up the stairs weakly, catching my breath as I glare into the eyes of my partner. She holds out her hand, a devilish grin covering her face. I return the look, and take her hand. We shake on it, and the crowd cheers. I smile, releasing her hand as we're taken into the Justice Building... Looks like I'd be making it up to my sister once more... Finally, I had my way... And I would make it work... Even if it killed me before the disease did...


	3. District 3 Reaping

**Hey guys! Here's the District Three Reaping :) I hope you enjoy! BTW, if you haven't sent in your allies, please create them and send them in to me through P.M. I need them before the Games start! Anyway, Read and Review! Thanks :) ~Squintz**

_DISTRICT 3 REAPING_

**Neon Watts -**

"Wake up, hot mess!" My older sister, Ali, yells at the top of her lungs.

She shakes me by the shoulders, then picks up a pillow and throws it at my face. I sit up, rubbing my eyes. I pull the covers over me, covering my head and lying back down. Ali frowns, then crawls across the bed and sits on me. I groan as she pulls the covers off of me, and then gets up to draw the shades. Sunlight fills the room and my eyes, making me start to whine.

"Reaping is in half an hour, and mom's making breakfast right now!" Ali urges me, shaking my shoulders again.

"Fine, I'm up..." I say quietly, my voice tiny compared to her confident, happy tone.

"Get dressed, and come to the kitchen." Ali says with a pretty smile, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder.

Ali was my mother's favorite, mainly because she looked just like my mother. She has long, blonde hair and a perfect sense of humor. She's popular, outgoing, and beautiful. The complete opposite of me. My parents never really payed attention to me... Just my brother and my sister. They were the older ones, and the more important ones.

I slide out of bed, walking over to my closet. In my opinion, it was a bit sad to see that I only had a few pieces of clothing to pick from. While my sister could pick out any dress, outfit, or pair of shorts she wanted from her overstocked closet. I close my eyes, blow out a sigh, and pull out my Reaping outfit. The least favorite thing I wear.

I brush out my hair, pulling it back with a light blue headband that matched the color of my pale blue tank dress. I slip the dress on, straightening out the bottom. The ends are trimmed with silver. I look in the mirror, then return to the closet and pull out my only pair of dress shoes. Ali walks in again, knocking on the door frame.

"Come on, dorky dress." My sister laughs, then strides from the room.

I frown, looking at my reflection again. Pale skin, pale eyelashes, pink lips, flat, dull, blonde hair. It rejects anything I try to style it in to, so it's always left down. I can brush it, but it refuses to put up with anything else I try. I focus back to my big, pale blue eyes. My thin eyebrows are creased into a sad smile while my reflection gazes back at me. I shake my head, then walk from the room.

From the dark hallway, I hear my mother and father laughing with my siblings. I suck in a deep breath, then step into the kitchen. My family doesn't even notice me as I sit at the table. My brother Ti flicks a blueberry into my sister's mouth, and my father chuckles.

"Behave, you two!" My mom says in her usual strict tone, setting plates of pancakes in front of my brother and sister.

I sit at the empty part of the table in front of me, and then gaze up at my mom. She finally notices me, and places a hand over her chest.

"Oh, Neon! I didn't notice you, sweetheart." She says in a more innocent tone.

Wow. She didn't notice me. No surprise there.

My father looks away from his news paper, looking at me. "When did you wake up, Neon? I didn't know you even went back to your room last night." My father says.

Again. No surprise. Last night we were watching recaps of the Hunger Games. My family likes to do that kind of thing, since we've never been chosen. I don't like it, but they do. Even though I was sitting on the floor, they didn't notice me stand up and walk to my room...

"Just, like... Ten minutes ago..." I say quietly.

"Honey, how many times have I told you to speak in a normal tone? You're so quiet!" My mother demands me, pulling some toast from the toaster and setting it on a plate in front of me.

I look down at the toast, and over to my brother and sister, feasting on their better meals. I sigh, then slab some butter on my toast and slowly eat it. My mother glares at me, waiting for my reply. But I just nod in silence, and the whole room goes silent. Everybody stares at me, and then my father breaks the silent.

"So, Ti, how's school been?" He asks my older brother.

He's 18, and it's his final year in high school. He's an honor roll student, and a popular kid. He's very smart, and he's got so many girls after him. I want to be close to him, but he always forgets about me... And leaves me behind. He's just like my father. My father tries so hard not to forget me, but he does...

"It's been fantastic! I got an A plus in my history, and my math classes. And I finally asked out Amy!" Ti exclaims with a proud smile.

"Oh my god, Amy?! Amy's like, the second most popular girl in the entire school!" My sister laughs.

"I know!" Ti chuckles, standing up and putting his dishes in the sink.

"Aluminum, how about you?" My mother asks my sister.

"Well," Ali begins, "School's been good, and I've been doing good on tests!"

"That's great. Oop!" My mom says, looking at the clock.

"We're going to be late!" My father announces, standing up.

"Come on, come on!" My parents say, rushing out the back door.

My brother and sister follow, keeping conversation between themselves while we walk. I tread behind, staying as silent as usual. My parents hold hands with eachother, leading the way to the Square, which is a bit of a walk from the house. When we arrive, I'm checked in last. I walk to my placement in line alone, standing towards the isle.

I watch as friends share quiet gossip, others stand still, and a few more people chatter nervously. The District Representative, Tech Glo, walks on stage. He grins at us, waving his hands.

"Welcome District Three, to the annual Reaping of the Hunger Games. Although, this year is a Quell! Anyway, let's review, shall we?" He asks, turning on the video.

We watch the video, showing us some sad families, crying children, and war scenes. I sigh, then scuff the toe of my shoe into the dirt. The video ends, as well as the weird music played along with it. I look over the nervous faces of District Three, and I look up to the stage.

"Alright. Let's pick the female Tribute, yes!" Tech smiles, walking over to the bowl and digging through the names. He picks out a single slip, then returns to the microphone.

He clears his throat, then smiles to the crowd. "Neon Watts!"

Everybody searches the crowd, looking for the girl that is me... Since nobody knows me, I look around, waiting for a rare volunteer. But it never comes... I slowly step into the isle, looking at the stage. I walk down the dirt path, and step up the stairs.

"Well, come on." Tech chuckles, waving me over.

"Now, to pick our male Tribute!" He exclaims, clapping his hands.

**Reuben Wires -**

"You ready?" I whisper to Rae, who crouches behind the bakery next to me.

"Yeah..." Rae grins, slapping me a silent high five with a smirk beginning to cover her face.

Today was the first day Rae ever agreed to do an operation with me. We were going to steal the fresh bread from the bakery, and it was what I'd been planning for months. If everything went according to plan, we'd be sitting pretty in the safe spot, chowing down on a bag of bread. I laugh silently, then pat her shoulder and nod to the back door as the baker's daughter swings it open and throws the trash out.

"Alice! Come help me with this bread!" Her mother yells.

"Alright!" Alice groans, slamming the door behind her.

I sneak over to the back door, Rae following close behind me. I take a paper clip from my pocket, then begin to bend it into the lock shape. I stick it in the keyhole, and slowly twist it to unlock the back door. I open the door slightly, peeking through the tiny opening. Alice strolls from the kitchen, rounding the corner.

"Okay, come on." I whisper to Rae, my heart beginning to beat quickly with the thrill of danger and risk.

Rae nods, following after me. We slowly sneak on the ground, crouching low. We slide past the oven, the odor of freshly baked bread filling our noses. I sigh, wishing that I already had the bread, when I hear footsteps returning to the kitchen. Alice walks through the door, pulling a cart full of fresh bread on trays behind her. She sets it in front of us, not even noticing us sitting there in complete motionless silence, and then leaves from the kitchen, back to the front of the store.

"Holy crap, that was close..." Rae whispers.

"Yeah, let's just get this over with." I say quietly, pulling a burlap bag from underneath my black jacket.

"Alright." Rae replies, feverishly grabbing loaves of bread from the cart.

We stuff the hot loaves into the bag, and then tie it off with a thin rope. I grin at Rae, and we high five, then scream at the top of our lungs and run out of the bakery. We can hear the rage filled yells and curses coming from the back door of the bakery as we charge for the District's electrified fence. Rae slips through the fence with ease, being thin enough to pass through anything.

I hand her the bag, and then crawl underneath the bottom wire. She grins, pulling her long, brown hair behind her shoulders. With bright green eyes, she gives me a laugh, then begins running down the hill. The long, wavy grass reaches to about her knees, and she disappears over the edge of the rolling hills. I charge after her, tripping and going rolling down the hill.

I scream, beginning to laugh as I go crashing into Rae. We roll down to the foot of the hill, landing in a cool, flowing creek. The little rocks are almost completely covered with moss or sand from the floor of the tiny, shallow form of river. I laugh, shaking the water from my hair like a dog. Rae laughs and gives me a playful shove. I splash her, then grab the bag from her hands.

She giggles, then takes in a deep breath. The fresh scent overwhelming our noses. I split a loaf in half, hearing the magnificent crunch of the delicious sour dough.

"Happy Hunger Games!" I yell as loud as I can, feeding Rae a bite of the bread.

She laughs, then stuffs some bread in my mouth. "Why thank you, miss!" I exclaim, spitting crumbs all over her.

"Ew, gross! Don't talk with your mouth full!" Rae laughs, punching me in the arm.

"Alright, mom." I joke, spitting more crumbs on her legs.

She giggles, giving me a hug, resting her head on my shoulder as we chew down on our bread. I take a swallow, letting out a sigh. Thieving for food was the only way I knew. I've had a job since I was fifteen, but ever since my parents were murdered by drunk Peacekeepers, I'd been on my own. Rae was my best friend, and the only person that ever truly understood me.

She also knew how to pull my leg, push my buttons, and make me laugh. She knew everything about me, and I knew everything about her. And things were okay with us. Things were great. Rae could always pull a good prank with me, unlike my other friends that were always telling me to stop with the childish, mischievous behavior. But Rae never did those things... I could always rely on her for anything.

"Reuben..." Rae says quietly.

"Yeah?" I ask.

"I think this is the most fun I've ever had with you..." She giggles, giving me a kiss on the cheek and standing up.

"Thanks." She says, snatching up the half of my bread and walking off.

"Where you goin'?" I call.

"To get ready for the Reaping!" She yells, running up the hill.

"Okay!" I reply, standing up and tucking the bag underneath my jacket as I run after her.

She's already gone by the time I reach the fence. I sigh, glad I've already gotten dressed in my Reaping outfit. I had come prepared, wearing my black slacks, white button down, and black combat boots. The boots mostly for our stealthy thief operation. I also have my hair slicked back, even though it's always curly. I pull off my jacket, tucking the bag in there, and hiding it underneath a layer of brush and trees. I then start walking to the Reaping, checking in and walking into my crowd.

I stand in the front, watching as the female Tribute is chosen. It's a tiny sized girl, who looks to be at least eleven. But when I hear that she's actually thirteen, I feel taken aback. I turn to see Rae grinning at me, giving me a wink. I chuckle, then look up to the stage again.

"Our male Tribute is... Reuben Wires!" He announces.

I look to Rae, who's smile has suddenly faded. My heart begins to ache, and I step out into the isle, looking around. I do a little spin, examining all the faces in the crowd. I walk up the stairs, staring at Neon. She looks up at me with sad, pale blue eyes. Reaching out with a tiny, trembling hand. I take her hand in mine, shaking it slowly, then letting go.

"District Three, your Tributes!" Tech says, ushering us into the Justice building.


	4. District 4 Reaping

**Here's the District Four Reapings! I hope you guys like all of the Reapings so far, and I hope you like this one as well! :) Remember to Review for Sponsor Points! And P.M. Me if you want to purchase something for your Tribute in the future of the story! Enjoy! :D ~Squintz P.S. Please send in your Allies! I need them before the Games, I'm not kidding! I only have three so far! Please, please buddy up with your partner and come up with one! Really, it's a short form! So please send them in! Thanks! :)**

_DISTRICT FOUR REAPING_

**Lotsear Maver -**

I was eight years old, and it was a gorgeous day like any other in District Four. My cousin, Klay, had announced we were going to go to the beach, so like a little sister, I asked to tag along. We had already been sitting on the beach, and I watched as Klay and his girlfriend smiled at eachother and splashed eachother with the gently sloshing water that slid ashore.

"_Daddy?" I ask with a wide smile._

"_Yes, dear?" He asks me with a chuckle._

"_Am I allowed to go swimming? With-With Klay and his girlfriend?" I say with puppy eyes and a feverish angelic smile._

"_Sure you can, but don't go near the tall seaweed, alright?" He asks me._

"_Of course I won't, don't worry, Daddy." I giggle, pulling my shirt off to reveal my bathing suit as I jump into the water._

_I swim straight towards Klay and his girlfriend. They float beside a buoy, their fingers twined together. Klay's girlfriend was so pretty, with blonde hair and light blue eyes, sort of like me. She's wearing a black and white polka dot bikini, and her hair is pulled back into a ponytail. My cousin has short brown hair and green eyes, like my uncle. He wears light green camouflage swim trunks._

"_Hey, kiddo!" My cousin says with a broad smile._

"_Hi!" I say happily, smiling back at him and his girlfriend._

"_Marren, why aren't you talking?" I ask his girlfriend._

"_She lost her voice this morning! And it totally sucks, because I love her voice... It's the second most beautiful thing in the whole world, besides her." Klay says with that weird lovey dovey voice, stroking Marren's cheek._

"_Blecky!" I say, pretending to gag._

_Klay laughs and Marren smiles, and I feel my arms begin to get tired from swimming in the same place. Trying to stay afloat. I look around, then back to Klay. Klay finally takes a hint, then nods._

"_Well, come on! We can't just sit here all day! Some fishermen might mistake us for seals. Ar! Ar! Ar!" Klay laughs, clapping his hands._

_Marren covers her mouth, trying not to giggle and strain her voice, and we begin to swim a bit further out. We swim for a long time, to me, it seems like hours... And then Klay turns around, and Marren and I stop. He points to the floor of the ocean, catching his winded breath._

"_Lotsear?" Klay asks me._

"_Yeah?" I ask, a bit winded as well._

"_We're right above the long sea grass, want to turn back?" He nods down to the water by his chin._

"_Yeah," I nod, "Daddy told me not to swim past the long seaweed."_

"_Seaweed, sorry." Klay chuckles, having always said sea grass and confusing me all the time._

_Marren nods as well, and we begin to swim back. But we only begin, and I feel the slight slide of something against my ankle. I close my eyes, suck in a deep breath, and attempt to go forward again._

_'Probably just a fish...' I say in my head, kicking my feet back to propel myself forward._

_I feel slide become tight, and then I gulp and look down. Sure enough, a stalk of seaweed is wrapped around my ankle... I can't bring myself to speak, I can't bring myself to yell, to struggle, to try and swim away... I'm frozen with fear. But when realization hits me again, I begin to kick my legs frantically, attempting to swim back to them. Marren and Klay swim ahead, though. Laughing and joking._

_I frantically begin to panic, kicking my legs and swatting my hands around in the water. But the seaweed only gets tighter... I dip my head underwater, and try to untie the seaweed from my ankle, but it's knotted too tight... And I've never been good at knots... Ever... I throw my head back, pushing my face out of the water and sputtering, gasping for breath. This seaweed is going to drown me... And I haven't even been noticed..._

_The water begins to fill my ears, and I scream at the top of my lungs as I lift my head back above the water, and scream again. Klay turns around, and Marren does the same, and then my vision is engulfed by water. I shut my eyes tight, and feel my lungs begging for air. I go still, feeling myself sway with the current, and my whole body begins to go numb. I open my eyes one last time, and then I'm blacked out._

I sit up, shaking my head and rubbing my temples. The occasional nightmare of my past came and went, and this was one of those unfortunate times that it did... I roll over in bed, noticing it's not my own. And then I remember I'd spent the night at Kalliroe's house. I smile, relieved of the nightmare from the sight of a deep sleeping Kalliroe. Her sweet face is expressed with an exhausted smile, and her eyelids flutter while she sleeps.

I watch her for a while, sliding my thumb along her cheek. She pulls the sheet up under her chin, then makes a little sound as she opens up her eyes. I smile at her, and she gives a sleepy giggle. My grin goes wider, and she pulls an arm out from under the covers, rubbing her eyes. She yawns, and then looks back to me.

Things are silent, until she giggles again, and I plant a kiss on her lips.

"How'd you sleep?" She asks.

"Good." I lie.

"You're a terrible, terrible liar." Kalli laughs at me, scooting closer and pretending I'm really far away by reaching her hands out and trying to grab my shoulders.

I laugh, rolling my eyes as I scoot over to her, lying on my side and pushing my forehead to her's. Kalli gazes at me with those pleading, hazel eyes. She plays with a loose strand of my hair, and she lets out a sigh. I close my eyes, and then open them again.

"What happened?" She whispers.

"Just the nightmare again, but it's okay... I'm alright now... I'm with you." I reassure her, kissing the tip of her nose.

"Alright." She says with a stubborn sigh, shaking her head.

"By the way..." I smile at her again, stroking her cheek with my palm.

"I wouldn't mind waking up to your beautiful little face every morning." I say, receiving a giggle in response, and even a bit of blush.

I sit up, sweeping the sheets off my body. I had fallen asleep with baggy sweat pants, and a tank top on. And that was what I had to go home in. Which was great, if I wanted my parents to get suspicious... Since they had no idea about Kalliroe and I. I didn't know if they were homophobic, and I was planning to keep it a secret until the future... Only Kalliroe's brother Kai, and my little sister Brook knew about us.

Kalli sits up in bed, propping herself up on one elbow. She cocks an eyebrow at me, tilting her head. I turn around, pulling my black hoodie over my tank top.

"Where are you going?" She frowns.

"Home. I gotta get ready," I say, walking over and giving her a kiss on the forehead.

"Alright... Will you walk me there, though?" She asks.

"Of course I will," I smile at her, then open up her window.

"See you there." She says.

"Sure thing, love." I reply, slipping out the window and jumping onto the first level of the roof.

Kalli gets up and walks to the window, leaning against it and watching as I make my way down the shingles of the house. I turn at the edge of the roof, waving at her, and then climbing down the column on her porch. I shimmy down the thick wood column, and swing myself down onto the grass. The grass in District Four is short and coarse from all the sand that covers the District. Since Kalliroe lived near me at the edge of the beach, and close to the fishing dock, our grass was even more scarce.

I run from the house, making my way to my own. When I reach my house, I sneak over to the back, knocking on Brook's window. She peeks out, a sly grin on her face as she opens up the window. I slide through, and she hands me my Reaping outfit.

"You better get ready while you can! Mom and Dad are in the kitchen. They won't notice if you go across the hall right now." Brook says.

"Alright, thanks!" I say in a frantic whisper.

"Wait, Lotsear!" She says.

"Yeah?" I ask.

"You were with Kalli, huh?" She giggles.

"Of course, little sister." I laugh, giving her a hug, then running out her door and into my room.

I battle on my gray t-shirt, some jeans, and my dirty white sneakers. That's enough for me. I mean, I'm satisfied. I just need my hair done... I run a brush through my hair, and my mother walks in.

I smile at her, and she smiles back. "Good morning, Lotsear."

"Good morning, Mom." I reply, watching as she takes the brush from me and a ponytail.

She sits me down on the bed, and then pulls a large strand of hair from the front of my hair, braiding it and pulling it back into a ponytail. I smile, and she nods.

"We're going to be late, so why don't you get Brook and meet us there?" She asks.

"Sure, Mom." I smile, standing up and giving her a hug.

She walks from my room, getting my dad and walking out the front door. I let out a sigh, then walk into my sister's room. Brook is finishing brushing out her hair, and she smiles at me when I walk in.

"So what'd you guys do last night?" Brook asks, her curious fourteen year old self getting the best of her.

"We just talked for a while, watched a past Hunger Games, and went to bed." I say, sitting down on her bed and looking at her little white bracelet.

"Oh, which Games?" She asks me.

"The last Quell." I say, nodding casually.

"Was it any good?"

"Pretty good, yeah. They had some intense fights, scandalous romances, and some vengeance seekers." I reply, standing up.

"Cool. Let's go." Brook says, grabbing my hand and leading me out of her room.

We walk down to the Kalli's house in silence, and then I look down at Brook, and whisper in her ear.

"I'm going to volunteer this year..." I say to her.

"You better tell Kalliroe." She replies, knocking on the front door.

When Kalli emerges, she's dressed in a little white dress, and she isn't wearing her glasses. She's wearing makeup, and her blonde hair with brown roots is all straightened and pretty. I smile, and then grab her hand, walking to the Square with her. My little sister and Kai walk behind us, and we reach the Square in no time at all.

We're checked in quickly, and then stand in the crowd. Kalli stands beside me, holding my hand tight. The District Representative walks on stage, wearing a bright blue outfit.

"Welcome to the Reapings for the 475th Annual Hunger Games!"

We watch the brief video, and then she picks out the name. Slowly, she returns to the microphone, and unfolds the slip. I close my eyes, suck in a deep breath, and realize I forgot to tell Kalli... But, when I hear the name is called, my heart stops...

"Kalliroe Drave!" She announces.

I run into the isle, my heart pounding.

"I volunteer!" I scream.

**Kai Drave -**

I wake up to the sound of giggling coming from my sister's room. Rolling my eyes, I heave myself out of bed and give a slight laugh. My sister had been dating Lotsear for two years. They loved eachother more than anything, and it was unthinkable for them not to be together. My parents didn't know, and neither did Lotsear's. We were all determined to keep it hidden...

I grin, then pull my swim trunks out of my dresser. I slip them on, and grab my towel and white shirt. Quickly, I run downstairs and outside the house, avoiding any contact with my dad... Did I mention he hates me and abuses me all the time? To avoid him I go for a swim, or stay late during training... I can't take being around him...

I arrive at the fishing dock quickly, and throw my towel and shirt down. I dive into the water, cutting through the crisp, clean water. I laugh, shaking the water from my hair. I plunge underwater, and then swim up to the beach. I can't stay for long, since the Reaping is coming up soon.

When I arrive on the shore, I blink really hard. One of my close friends, and big crushes, Agua Vayle. She sits on the sand, playing with her long, black hair. I smile, and then walk over, wiping my hair off with a towel. She looks up, and I plop down beside her.

"Hey." I smile at her. Agua was the only person outside our families who knew about Lotsear and Kalliroe And she was one of the most trustworthy.

"Hi." She giggles, moving her hair out of her face.

"What's up?" I ask.

"Just sitting around..." Agua says quietly, pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around her legs.

"Sounds like fun." I laugh.

"Oh, totally fun." She says sarcastically, giving me a playful push.

"So, who do you think is going to volunteer this year?" I ask.

"I don't know, doesn't Lotsear want to?" Agua asks.

"I think so... But I hope she doesn't..." I reply.

"Yeah, that'd crush her..." Agua frowns.

"Totally... And I'd have to deal with all the crying." I laugh, giving her a nudge.

"Pffft, how could you be so heartless, Kai?" Agua jokes, punching me in the arm.

"You know how it is... With sisters." I say, knowing she's an only child.

"Oh, Kai. You're such a dork." Agua laughs, looking at her little teal watch.

"I know, I know." I reply.

Usually, I'm not this talkative, but around Agua, I can be myself... She'll let me talk to her about anything. Even my abusive father. We're really good friends, and I hope we can be more than that one day...

I stand up, and then shake my head. "I have to go... Um, want to walk with me?" I ask quietly, reaching out my hand to help her stand.

"Of course." Agua smiles at me, taking my hand and standing up.

But she doesn't release it, and we walk over to the Square. Hand in hand. I smile as we're checked in, and then give Agua a big hug in the middle of the isle. She keeps her hands held to mine, and gives me a sad smile.

"So I guess this is it, then?" She asks.

"I guess so..." I whisper.

She suddenly gives me another hug, wrapping her arms around my neck. I feel her soft, warm breath on my neck, and I wrap my arms around her waist. The realization that I may never see her again hits me, and I never want to let go of her. This moment should be frozen in time, but instead it's in my head forever. And more importantly, my heart.

"I'll see you when you get back..." She says quietly, kissing my cheek, then running into her crowd.

I walk over into my crowd, standing in the middle. I tuck my hands in my pockets, and close my eyes. A whoosh of a breath escapes my mouth, and the District Representative steps up on stage. She announces the female Tribute, and then I notice it's my sister... Kalliroe.

Instantly, Lotsear is up on stage, volunteering for my sister. It crushes my heart, but it's my goal to go into the Hunger Games and make my father proud of me for once. Maybe then he'll fear me, and never abuse me again... I wait until she says the name.

"Harrison Parker." The name rings out over the microphone.

The crowd shifts to look at a young boy who stands in the back. He looks to be twelve, and he closes his eyes tight. Slowly, he walks to the isle, and I walk in front of him, standing tall with my head held high. Harrison looks up at me, and I turn around to face the stage.

"I volunteer." I say with a straight, fearless face.

"Amazing!" The District Representative says in a giddy voice, waving me on stage.

I walk up the stairs, standing for all to see. I close my eyes, and then turn to face Lotsear. She gives me a sad smile and I push my hand out to her. She accepts, and then shakes my hand. I smile at her, and then we're pushed into the dark, cool surroundings of the Justice Building.

**Yes, sorry this last part was so short! It's late and night, and I'm dead tired. I'm really sorry! But, at least there's more to come! I sincerely apologize, and I'm glad it was at least nine pages! :3**


	5. District 5 Reaping

**Alright! Here comes District Five! I'm so glad everybody likes the Tributes so far, and I hope you like the ones that are coming! District Five and more! Anyway, I still need allies, because I only have four right now... So, please! PLEASE, talk with your partner and send them in, or I will make them for you. And that wouldn't be any fun, would it? Continuing on, Read, Review, and enjoy! :) ~Squintz**

_DISTRICT 5 REAPING_

**Talon Kotka -**

I look out past the bushes, and close my eyes. Everything is so still, and so silent, that nothing could ruin this moment... Slowly, I raise my rickety old bow, and I pull an arrow from my quiver. The fawn looks around, waiting for its mother to return. I don't know where it had gone, but when I arrived, it walked off in the direction of the creek. The fawn's gaze shifts towards where I am, its little nose twitches in my direction. The fawn turns down to the floor, grazing on the grass, and I aim at the fawn, releasing the bowstring.

As I stand up, the fawn collapses on the ground. I walk out from behind the bushes, pulling my arrow from the fawn's chest. The fawn looks up at me with enormous eyes, and kicks its legs. I feel a tinge of guilt, but I know I have to eat... I yank my knife from my pocket, and push the knife through the wound I've already made in the fawn's chest.

I never shoot so terrible, but since this week has been the longest week I've ever gone without food, I'm extremely out of focus. Quickly, I remove my knife from the carcass of the fawn, shut its eyes, and heave the little deer over my shoulder. I walk up the big hill leading to the electrified fence, and smile at my little brother Colton.

He smiles back, looking around behind him, and crouches down by the fence. I slide the dead fawn through a gap between the wires, and he carefully pulls it through the rest of the way. I laugh, handing my brother my bow and arrow, as well as my quiver, and run towards a crooked tree that hangs over the fence.

I climb the tree quickly, my toned arms working well to support my weight as I scale the trunk of the oak. I grab the branch above my head, pulling myself up and swinging onto the hard, coarse bark. I crawl across the branch, then jump down. Colton grins at my kill, and then looks up at me.

"Nice hunt, Talon. Where'd you find this little one?" He asks.

"The mother left to get a drink, I'm guessing. The poor thing won't know where her little one went." I sigh, stroking the soft, spotted fur on the fawn.

"Well, what's more important, is that it's only one deer, and there's five hungry kids that need to eat." Colton laughs, nudging my arm.

"Alright, I guess." I chuckle, following him as he begins to walk towards the house.

Colton stands a bit tall for his age of twelve, and he hoists the fawn over his shoulder, walking along with no stress. When we get to the house, which is a close distance to the edge of District Five, my little sister bounds down the porch.

"You got food?" She asks with big, blue eyes.

"Of course, Lisa." I laugh, giving her a hug.

"Well, let's cook it up, come on!" Colton says, charging up the stairs and bursting through the front door.

My oldest brother, James, sits in his wheelchair and pokes at the fire in the fireplace, getting it to blaze a bit higher. I grin at him, and Colton sits on the floor, beginning to skin the fawn with his knife and bare hands. It won't take too long, since the fawn isn't as big as a full grown deer. Lisa frowns as Colton begins his work on removing the pelt, and turns away to play with two old dolls.

"Hey, James. Got the fire going, I see." I smile at my brother, crouching beside his wheelchair.

Five years ago, when I was ten, there was an enormous power plant explosion. My brother had just started work in the engine room, and things were going great. Until the explosion... The engine rooms collapsed, and the power plants exploded. My parents were killed in the power plant explosion, while my brother escaped from the collapsed part of the plant, with injuries to his legs. He was crushed by debris, and his legs became paralyzed. The Capitol could perform a surgery to fix his legs easily, but since they were a bunch of stuck up snobs- I really hate the Capitol with all my heart- They wouldn't do it...

"Yeah, I got the lighter to work." He laughs, sweeping some shaggy strands of light brown hair from his light green eyes.

"Awesome." I chuckle, turning to check up on Colton.

He has half the deer skinned, and he's trying to pull the pelt off the legs. Lisa still plays quietly in the corner, facing the wall with her dolls.

"Hey, where's Alister?" I ask, looking out the window beside the old couch.

"Uh, I don't know. I woke up this morning and he wasn't in our room." My brother shrugs, finally getting the fire to stay at the size he needs to cook the deer's meat.

"Hmmm... Weird." I frown, tilting my head.

"I'm going to go get ready for the Reaping." I sigh, walking to mine and Lisa's room.

I swing the door open, the old floor creaking as I walk to my closet. I pull out my old, gray dress. I'd used this dress for three years, since I stopped growing when I turned thirteen. I pull the dress on, removing my old, torn up jeans and my light blue shirt. I redo my ponytail, even though it still looks super messy, and toy with my blonde curls. I chuckle, looking at my reflection. My nose is flecked with freckles here and there, and my eyes are a light blue speckled with green near my pupils. Overall, the only thing that needed fixing was the gap between my two front teeth. Other than that, all was well. I steal a glance at my wall clock, and then my eyes bug out.

"Crap!" I yell, running into the living room.

"James, you and Lisa stay here and cook that thing! Me and Colton will go. Neither of you have a chance, this year." I say to my older brother and younger sister.

I snatch Colton up by the wrist, and literally drag him down the stairs. He scuffs his feet, kicking and laughing and asking for me to let him go. I refuse, and he takes charge. He runs along, his energetic behavior returning to him as usual. He runs as fast as he can, and I run after him, still holding his wrist.

He skids to a stop at the check in lines, and then lets the woman draw his blood. He actually stands there patiently, for once, and then quickly runs into his line. I go after him, and then file into my own group. The District Representative shifts uneasily on stage. Instantly, you can tell it's her first year. And she's not a very good eccedentesiast, because her fake smile is evident all over her face.

"Welcome, District Five! This will be the Reaping for the 475th Annual Quarter Quell!" She exclaims with fake glee.

Instantly, I can figure out she's not used to this, she hasn't had such a good training in this, and she's pretty shy for a Capitol citizen. Did I mention I'm good at figuring people out? It's something I've been able to do for years. I observe people easily, and once I know their strengths, weaknesses, and anything else, I won't hesitate to exploit them. I'm a fast learner...

When I'm done examining her, the video is already through.

"Well, now to pick our female Tribute, correct?" She says quietly.

She waltzes across the stage, then picks out a name from the top, and walks over to the microphone once more.

"Our female Tribute is..." She unfolds the slip at a painstakingly slow pace.

"Talon Kotka!"

**Alister Rain -**

I walk through the oddly familiar front doors of the District Five Center. It smells like mint inside, for some reason... I roll my eyes, giving a light laugh, then walk to the front desk. The woman has long, black hair that reaches to her mid back. She's shuffling papers, and she smiles at me. Not a real smile... But more of a... 'Tell me what the heck you want, then get out of my damn center' sort of smile. I return her the smile, and then rest my elbows on the front desk.

"Can I help you?" She asks.

'You sure can, if you wipe that smile off your face.' I think to myself, brushing some bright red hair from my face.

"Yeah, uh, can I do a quick tesserae, before the Reaping?" I ask.

This is one of the few times I've ever tesseraed... Maybe because Talon never lets me tesserae. She never lets anybody in the house tesserae. She has a thing against that, and she hates when any of us even ask. I don't know why, but it's this whole... Overprotective sister thing I guess. But, technically, she wasn't my sister, because our parents were both killed in a power plant explosion. I was just her best friend, basically. She begged me to stay with her afterward, and I agreed.

"Sure, but, um... Isn't it a little close to the Reaping to be doing tesserae?" She asks.

"Um, isn't it a little close to your lunch break to be asking me questions instead of doing your job?" I shoot back, lifting an eyebrow.

She lets out a little huff, then hands me a touch screen tablet. "Type in your name." She says.

'A... L... I... S... T... E... R... R... A... I... N...' I think in my head, typing the little keys.

The woman snatches the tablet back, and I give a light chuckle. "Touchy." I snicker.

The woman rolls her eyes at me, takes a card, and slides it through a slit in the tablet. The slip pops out with words on it, and she sticks it in a bowl with names. Not many people wanted, or needed, to tesserae in District Five. I breathe out a sigh, and she strolls on into the back of the front room. I sigh, looking around.

She returns with a little box taped shut, and she even had the courtesy to write my last name across the box. She beckons me forward with a finger, and I lean across the desk, pressing my chest on the cold wood.

"Huh?" I ask.

"How come when I check the history records of District Five, you don't have anybody connected to your family tree that's actually _alive_?" She asks, twirling her hair over her shoulder.

I take a strand of my orange hair, and begin to imitate her. "Well, like, my parents aren't around anymore." I say in an equally obnoxious voice.

"You know what? Get out of here. I don't need your sass, red head." She snarls, shoving me backwards.

I roll my eyes at her, sneer, then walk from the Center. I swing past the house, dropping the crate on the front porch, and peering through the front window. James and Lisa sit there, cooking some deer meat. Good thing Talon finally got food. I look down at my blue button up and slightly torn black slacks. I guess I'm fit to head off to the Reaping.

I shrug, knock on the door, and run off. I take off to the Square, and cut through the line, looking for Colton. The woman draws my blood, then presses my finger on the sheet of paper.

"Thanks." I say dryly, running into the crowd.

I spot a spazzing head of curly blonde hair, and tap on Colton's shoulder. He turns around, grinning at me. I brush some curls from his face, then lean down to rest my palms on my legs.

"Talon get here okay?" I ask.

"Mhm. I made sure. I pulled her here." Colton says with a satisfied grin on his face.

"Good job, buddy." I laugh, giving him a pat on the back.

"Why thank you, good sir!" Colton says, full of energy.

"Shh." I laugh, turning to face the stage.

Colton listens in, then turns to face the stage. He giggles during the video, and I give him a little punch on the arm. He laughs, then swats at my chest. Colton's like my little brother, so I'll do anything to keep him safe... And I can mess with him like my brother. I stop messing with him, then look back to the stage.

"Talon Kotka!" She says.

I look down to Colton, an ache in my heart. He looks crushed. His jaw hangs open, and his eyes are enormous and instantly watery. I pull him under my arm, holding him against my side like any brother would. He wipes at his eyes, trying not to break down. I close my eyes, then shake my head.

'Someone, please... Volunteer...' I think.

Nobody does.

"Alright, now for our Male Tribute!" She says, plucking a slip from the bowl.

"Alister... Alister Rain!" She announces, a grin on her face.


	6. District 6 Reaping

**Alright! I'm making up for the late update on D5, and I'm writing up the D6 Reapings today :D Anyway, hope you guys like them! I love this year's Tributes! They're very interesting, and they should prove these Games to be just as amazing. Read and Review! Enjoy :) ~Squintz**

_DISTRICT 6 REAPING_

**Waverly Mendez -**

"Okay... Um..." I dig through my closet, desperately trying to decide which dress I should wear.

Devin sits on my bed, holding a pillow to his chest with his legs crossed. I pull out a little white dress with black buttons on the pockets that sit on either sides. I hold the dress out to him, then hold it against my dress. Devin lifts an eyebrow, walking over and examining the dress. I giggle, and he wags a finger in my face.

"No, this doesn't seem too _you_. We have to find something that screams Waverly!" Devin exclaims, rushing a hand through his short hair.

"Alright, sit down." I laugh, giving him a gentle push back onto the edge of my bed.

I shuffle through clothes again, blowing out a sigh as I come across a long yellow skirt, and a white shirt. I hold out for him to see, and Devin face palms himself. I laugh, then walk over and sit down. He looks at me, and gives me a hug.

"Sweetie, don't you know anything about fashion?" He laughs.

First... You're probably thinking... Devin is my boyfriend. There's two things wrong with that assumption. Devin is my best friend... And he's gay. But, nobody knows but me and a couple of other friends. He's also my neighbor, so I have him over helping me pick out dresses to wear to the Reaping! Or at least an outfit of some sort... Devin is a fashion genius, and he's practically been that way since we were 12.

"Maybe... Maybe something black?" I ask, lifting my eyebrows at him.

"No, we want something that will show you off. And make you stand out..." Devin says, walking over to my closet.

He begins to search the hangers, pulling out a few dresses as he goes. He hums and whistles as he searches, occasionally stopping to consider a choice. I giggle as he dances around, shaking his butt. I roll my eyes, then stand up and look at myself in the mirror, putting on a little eyeliner and mascara.

"Ah! I've narrowed down my choices!" Devin exclaims, holding out ten different dresses.

Okay, now, I can also guess what you're thinking... Ten dresses?! You can narrow it down to ten dresses?! Well, yes. Mainly, because my sister is a Victor of the Hunger Games. And even though we have a fairly good amount of cash left, my parents still work as teachers at the school. My sister won the Games when she was 13, and ever since then, we'd moved in here. I'd already known Devin beforehand, since I met him at school, but when I moved, we became neighbors, and inseparable friends.

"Okay, let's see it!" I say, walking over.

He's laid out the dresses on my bed, and he looks at the blue one. The shoulders have light frill on them, and the skirt is completely silk. He shakes his head, tossing the dress over his shoulder. The next choice is a yellow dress without straps, and a white band around the waist. He shakes his head at this one as well, and throws it at the wall.

"Hmmmm... No, no, no... Maybe... No, no, definitely not... Aha! Here we are!" He announces, holding up the last dress for me to see.

It's a red collared button up dress. One that my friend Paisley had given me for my birthday last year. Devin shoves the dress at me. I lower the dress from my face, tilting my head. He swats his hands at me.

"Well? Go put it on, crazy! I want to see you working that glamor!" He laughs.

"Alright, I will." I giggle, strolling into the bathroom.

I pull off my pajamas, and then slide the dress on. It fits well, and it shows off my curves better than any of my other dresses. I walk out of the bathroom, tossing my pajamas in the hamper, and then entering my room again. Devin whistles, and then presses two fingers and a thumb to his lips.

"Fantastic! Have I ever done you wrong?" Devin smirks, winking at me.

"No, you haven't." I giggle, watching as he crouches down and pulls a pair of black flats from my closet.

"Put these on as well, my queen." He laughs, tossing me the shoes.

I catch them, sit on the bed, and slide them on. Devin looks around, and then dashes over to my nightstand. A tall vase full of red roses sits atop the surface, and Devin carefully pulls the flower and a piece of the stem off one flower.

"Hey, those are my roses!" I whine.

"Hey, this will make you look better!" Devin says, mocking my voice.

He slides the flower into my hair, and then walks me to the mirror. He smiles at me, and then nods his head. I pull him into a tight hug, and he returns the favor. When we pull away, I kiss him on the cheek and look at my reflection once more.

"Yeah..." I whisper, pushing a few strands of hair from my face.

Things are silent, and Devin is looking at the floor. I suck in a deep breath, then turn to him. I lift his hands in mine, and then give him yet another hug. Devin gazes at me, and then nods.

"Alright... Let's go. We'll walk with Paisley, Nora, and Jonah. I heard Jonah and Nora spent the night at Paisley's house, so we just have to pick them up." I say, leading him down the stairs.

My younger sister, and the Victor, Vivien leans over the couch. "Where are you two going?" She says lazily, turning back to watch her recaps of the Hunger Games.

"Uh, to the Reaping." I say.

Grace Ann comes bounding into the living room. "Oh my gosh! Can I come?! Please, please, please, can I?!" The ecstatic twelve year old asks, her arms flailing wildly.

"Sure, Gracie." I answer, watching as Devin gives her a hug.

"I'm staying here!" Vivien yells, returning to her Games.

"Alright." I nod, walking from the house with Devin by my side and Gracie strolling ahead.

We stop by Paisley's house to pick up the others and her, and then head off to the Square. Instantly, conversation begins.

"Who do you think they'll pick?" Paisley asks.

"It's anybody's game, guys." Jonah reminds us, scratching at her ponytail.

"But, still." Nora shrugs.

"Oh, check in line... I call going last!" Gracie says.

"I'll go first." Devin shrugs, holding out his finger.

The woman patiently takes each one of us, and then waves us into our lines. I stand with Paisley, Nora, and Jonah. Including Gracie, who grins eagerly at me. I laugh, giving her a quick hug. I can't stand to see people in my family get picked... And the day my sister was picked, I vowed to never let another family member of mine get picked. Even a friend...

"Welcome to the Reapings for the 475th Annual Quarter Quell! They're beginning right now, for District Six! And what a lovely day it is!" The District Representative begins, his voice loud and clear.

"First, we must show you a special video! And then we'll get right on ahead!" He says, clicking a remote.

The video plays, and he recites the words silently. I roll my eyes, then watch as the video ends, and the crowd turns to face him once more. He walks to the bowl, picks out a name, and grins.

"Ladies first, of course." He announces.

"Our female Tribute is... Grace Ann Mendez!" He yells.

My little sister looks around, totally calm. I feel my heart begin to pound, and my palms sweat while my legs tremble. No... Not again, sorry. I move her aside gently, then run into the isle.

The words pour from my mouth before I can stop them: "I volunteer as Tribute!"

**Carter Woods -**

"Yeah, good one!" I smile at my little sister as she gets a stone to skip seven times across the pond.

"Wow! Seven times! Beat that!" Lani giggles, handing me a flat stone.

I lean down, poking her nose. "I will. Just watch me!" I laugh, flicking the stone out across the pond.

The water ripples as the stone bounces eleven times, and I turn to face Lani. Her mouth hangs open, and she laughs and pulls me into a hug. I smile, stroking her dirty blonde hair, and keeping her safe in my arms. She pulls back, and points to a frog sitting on a rock that sits along the shore of the pond.

"Look! A frog!" She says, running after it.

The frog bounds away, and I laugh as I watch her chase it along. It jumps out of her grasp every time she goes to catch it, and when she finally grabs it, she squeals as loud as humanly possible.

"What?" I ask, running over to her.

"He's so slimy! Want to hold him? His name is... Uh... Goldfish! Yes! Goldfish the frog!" Lani says, holding him out for me to see him.

The little green frog sits there casually, croaking occasionally. I laugh, then use a finger to stroke the top of Goldfish's head. He croaks, and then turns around to jump across Lani's arm. She laughs, then picks the frog up into her hand again.

"He likes me!" Lani says.

"A frog named Goldfish... Interesting." I chuckle, pulling Lani under my arm as we begin to walk back to the house.

"You think Mom will let me keep him?" She asks, petting Goldfish's back.

"Maybe. If you give her puppy dog eyes." I laugh, playing with her ponytail.

"Maybe..." She echoes.

We arrive at the house in silence, and my father is asleep on the couch. Lani and I sneak past him, and then sit in my room upstairs. I sigh, lying down on my bed. Lani sits there with Goldfish, frowning at the floor. I sit up, crawling over to her. I plop down next to her on the edge of the bed, my feet touching the floor.

"What's wrong, Lani?" I ask.

"Why is Dad hurt?" She replies.

"What do you mean?" I say, confused.

"Why does Dad like to hurt you and me?" She says.

"Well... I don't think he _likes_ to..." I explain, letting her rest her head on my shoulder.

"Then why does he?" She asks.

"Because he's sick..." I say.

"With what?" She asks again.

"Just... He's mentally ill..."

"What's that mean?" She looks up at me, tilting her head.

"It means that he doesn't know what's happening, and he won't be with us long..." I reply.

"Oh..." She whispers, looking down at her feet again.

"Don't worry, though. You'll still have me." I say, giving her a hug.

"I love you, Carter." My little sister says, closing her eyes as a single tear rolls down her cheek.

"I love you too, Lani." I murmur, holding her tight.

"I'm going to go get dressed..." She whispers, wiping at her eyes and walking from my room.

"Me too..." I say to myself, walking to my dresser.

I pull out my bright orange Reaping shirt, and remove my black shirt. I pull the Reaping shirt on, buttoning it down. Then, my dark blue Reaping pants. They were pretty much the only formal pants I had. I sigh, then walk to my reflection. My hair looks unruly, and I nod to my reflection, then pull on my work boots. At least they're a little matching...

I walk out to the stairs, and my little sister stands at the top of the stairs, looking down at the floor. I place a hand on her shoulder, and she looks up at me. I give her a hug, then breathe out a gentle breath. She walks down the stairs with me, and we bump in to my mother at the front door.

"Hey, where are you two headed?" She says cheerily.

"The Reaping... Where else?" I ask in a less than amused tone, holding Lani's hand.

"Oh... Well, maybe I should come with you." She replies in a softer tone.

"Uh..." I think about this for a second, considering the fact I don't get along with her well... But for Lani's sake, I can put up with her.

"Sure, you can." I say, wearing a fake smile and heading out the door.

My mother follows us, and Lani looks at the floor as we walk. She steps along the dirt carelessly, getting her little white dress shoes all dirty. I don't think she cares, though... Not even my mother cares. I sigh in relief as we reach the check in lines, and Lani clenches my hand tight. I can feel her palms begin to sweat as we stand there, getting closer to the front of the line.

Lani hates the sight of blood. Lani also hates to see people get hurt. Even if somebody flinches during the check in, she could break down. And although she's never had to get checked in, she still closes her eyes when they check me in. I hold my finger out, Lani still holding my other hand, and the woman draws my blood. I hear Lani wince, and then give her a gentle tug as we walk into the isle together.

My mother takes her hand, and then pulls her into the other crowd. I step into the crowd, and instantly feel a pair of hands on my shoulders. I turn around to face Jack, and give him a sad smile. Parting with Lani is one of the hardest things I do at the Reapings, and it always puts a damper on my mood. Jack is silent, taking a hint and only standing beside me in complete silence.

"Grace Ann Mendez!" The District Representative practically yells.

"I volunteer as Tribute!" The words come from the crowd, and a young girl runs up on stage.

"Interesting! Alright, now for the boy!" He announces.

"Our male Tribute will be..." He draws a name, "Carter Woods!"

I can barely hear him call me up, because all I do hear is Lani screaming and crying for me...


	7. District 7 Reaping

**Alright! After that extended break, here's the District Seven Reapings :D I hope you guys like it, and leave a review of what you think of the Tributes! Enjoy ^-^ ~Squintz**

_DISTRICT 7 REAPING_

**Jade Arctics -**

"Good! Hit it again!" My trainer yells, standing aside with my step sister.

I turn around backwards, then turn forwards and fling my daggers to the training dummies twenty feet in front of me. The dummy falls over, and my trainer applauds me. I turn around, take a bow, and give a quiet laugh. My step sister, Jasmine, and my trainer, Aspen, laugh as well. I stroll over, slapping Jasmine a high five. Aspen speaks out.

"Your training lesson's almost over... Let's just have a little hand to hand combat competition. Sound good?" She asks.

"Fine with me." I say, stretching my arms.

"Sure," Jasmine nods, walking over to the black mat lying across the floor.

I follow after her, brushing my hair behind my shoulders. With a grin, I put my palms on my knees, sucking in a deep breath. My step sister does the same, grinning at me. She bites her bottom lip, lifting an eyebrow at me. I grin, then stand up tall. I stand at 6 feet and 1 inch, so this should be a nice fight. Jasmine is only 5 feet and 7 inches. Maybe it's unfair, but Jasmine's a pretty good fighter.

"Ready?" Aspen asks.

"Shoot." Jasmine says.

"Let's do this." I reply.

"Go at it!" Aspen yells, walking to the edge of the mat to watch.

Jasmine dives at me, taking hold of my legs and pulling. I fall onto my palms and knees, then kick at her chest. She tumbles backwards, and then stands up. I stand up just as fast, pulling my hair into a quick ponytail. Jasmine laughs, then beckons me forward.

"Come on! Hit me! Let's go!" She bribes me.

First off... Let me just explain that my step sister is extremely competitive. In fact, that's one of the only things we have in common. We're both competitive. But... I'm quiet, she's a socialite. I'm mysterious, she's the most well known, popular girl in school. So, basically, our competitive spirit, is the only thing we have in common... And sometimes, we go overboard.

"Hit me, shy girl!" She screams.

"Fine!" I say, raising my voice a bit.

I run forward, wrapping my arms around her waist as I slam my shoulder into her chest. She falls backwards, and takes me down with her. She hits the mat hard, and I can see that its knocked the wind out of her. She grabs my hair, swinging me around. Ugh, I hate when she does this... I wrap my arms around her neck and yank her down with me, trying to get away as she delivers continuous punches to my skull.

"Stop!" I yell, getting my leg wrapped around her's as I take her to the ground again.

She slams into the mat once more, her stomach hitting first. I snicker, then feel a horrible hit delivered to my chin. My teeth smack together, and I let out a loud yell. Blood dribbles from my mouth, and I kick her in the chest. She squeals as I grab her hair and thrust her face into the mat to get even. Her nose starts to bleed, and she curses at me. I crawl away, and her competitiveness starts to stir. She dives at me, punching me in the stomach over and over.

"Jasmine!" Aspen yells.

"Jade! Guys! Knock it off!" I can hear Aspen, but nothing ceases.

I'm still beating up Jasmine, she's still beating up me. I growl as she punches me in the mouth, and I punch her in the eye. She frowns at me, and I feel Aspen yank me off of her by the hair. She hoists Jasmine up, then helps me up. Since Aspen is taller than the both of us, and since she's a past Victor, she has the strength of a bear.

"You two best knock it off! You're going to kill eachother, and then your mother is going to kill you because you're going to be late if you're not at home in fifteen minutes!" Aspen screams.

"Crap! The Reaping!" Jasmine squeaks, grabbing my hand and yanking me up the stairs.

"Dad's going to kill us!" I say in a quiet voice, rushing after her as we bolt towards the house.

"I know!" Jasmine rolls her eyes, opening the front door quickly, and dashing up the stairs.

"Mom! We're home!" Jasmine says, pulling my door open and shoving me inside.

I look around my room, then walk to the closet. I pull out my Reaping outfit, which is my black dress and high top boots. I take off my training outfit, replacing it with the dress and the boots. I smile at myself in the mirror, examining my dark brown hair. I run a brush through it, straighten it, then walk downstairs.

"Dad! I'm going to the Reaping!" I announce, poking at my tender jaw from where Jasmine hit me earlier.

She walks down the stairs, tapping on my shoulder. I turn around, and look at her swollen nose and swollen eye. She laughs, then rolls her eyes.

"Thanks for the decor." She nods.

"Anytime." I giggle, patting her shoulder.

We set off towards the Square, which is right in front of our street. We arrive in no time at all, and we file into the lines. Jasmine quickly fades away with all her friends, standing in their part of the crowd. I stand in the crowd by myself, until my best friend Valerie comes and stands beside me. I smile, giving her a hug.

"Good luck." I whisper.

"Thanks, you too." Valerie says, holding my hand tight with nervousness.

The District Representative stumbles across the stage in her platform heels, then grabs the microphone stand. She looks around, a nervous grin on her make up heavy face. She waves, nodding over to the enormous screen. The video plays, and then she takes in a deep breath.

"We'll now pick our female Tribute." She announces in a hoarse, squeaky voice.

It sounds like she has a sore throat, and to make matters worse, she's a new Representative. I blow out a silent sigh, shaking my head. I would hate to be her, especially if I had a sore throat my first day. I close my eyes, feeling Valerie's palms sweating and shaking. Valerie had never been in a Reaping before, since her and her mother just moved here three months ago from the Capitol. But, Valerie doesn't look like a Capitol freak. She's actually normal...

"Our female Tribute will be..." The Representative unfolds the slip.

"Jade Arctics!"

**Douglas "Dane" Hilgenbrinck -**

I sit up in bed slowly, scratching my forehead. The room is dark, and it smells... Horrible. I wipe at my nose, then look at my discarded clothes on the floor... What? I look over to my left, seeing a sleeping blonde girl. She looks to be about my age, and her face is completely relaxed. I lift an eyebrow at the girl while she sleeps, then slowly pull the covers up on her. She lets out a soft whimper, and I slide out of the bed. Now, I'd have remembered this better if it wasn't my job. If I was just a normal teenager.

But, since I was the complete opposite of that, I spent my nights wandering the richer parts of District Seven, looking for people to buy me for a night. I blow out a breath, and pick up my clothes. I glance over to the foot of the bed, seeing the bright red panties and the tight jeans that the girl wore last night. I chuckle to myself, shaking my head as I slide on my boxers, my dirty jeans, and my tight shirt. To make matters worse... I didn't even know this girl's first name.

I recall she told it to me, but I can't remember... Anna? Annie? Ally? Aria? A... Amy! Amy, that's it! Hah. Well, sometimes I can remember things, other times, I can't remember even arriving to the house. I look at the sleeping blonde, running my eyes over her actually decent features. Maybe she payed me to sleep with her because it was her birthday or something. I just shrug, stick the wad of cash on the nightstand into my pocket, and quietly leave the room.

"I don't know! Go check upstairs!" A man's voice says, an angry tone hinted in it.

Oh, no... Uh... Think fast... I glance down the stairs, but hear the faint tune of footsteps climbing the steps. I look around nervously, then run into the girl's room again, I shut the door behind me, and hide her clothes quickly, then slide underneath her bed. The door slowly opens again, and I hear the footsteps on the hardwood floor. I dare glance out, and see the footsteps belong to somebody wearing black high heels. I suck in a silent breath, holding it as the pressure on the bed compacts down on me.

The woman must've sat on the bed... I try not to move, try not to make any sound. And then the talking begins...

"Amy..." The woman's voice says in a motherly tone.

"Mmm?" The girl replies in a sleepy way, and I hear the springs creak above me as she rolls over.

"Amy... Two things. It smells like ass in here, and you need to get ready." The mother says.

"Okay, okay... Give me a second..." She says in her sleepy voice, making me go silent until I hear the walking of high heels on the floor.

She exits the room, and Amy stands up in front of my face. I slowly emerge out from under the bed, and Amy whips around. Her eyes bug out, and she stares at me.

"Oh my god, what are you doing here?!" She yells at me.

"Uh, I was just leaving." I explain, trying to focus my eyes at her face, instead of at her chest.

"Dude! How'd you eve-... Oh, wait... I remember." She giggles, her cheeks turning red.

"Yeah... Um, are you aware of the fact you're completely naked?" I ask, scratching at the back of my neck.

Again, her eyes practically jump out of her head, and she snatches her clothes from my hands. She looks around, covering herself with the clothes. I lift my eyebrows in entertainment, giving a laugh.

"You have to get out of here..." Amy says, rushing to an open space near her dresser.

I watch as her hips sway side to side, nodding my head along with the rhythm.

"Hey, boy!" She says, pulling on her clothes as she talks to me.

"My name isn't boy, it's Dane." I laugh, nodding at her.

"Okay, _Dane_! You need to like, get out of here." Amy nods, gesturing to the door.

"Your parents are out there!" I say in a whisper scream.

"Okay... Uh... The window!" She exclaims, pointing to the glass.

"What?! Hell no! I'd rather die!" I whisper yell at her.

"Then why don't you go downstairs and say hi to my dad?!" Amy whisper screams back at me.

"Why are you yelling?!" I whisper back at her.

"I'm not!" She shoots back.

"Well now we're both quietly screaming at eachother, arguing like an old married couple!" I retort.

This makes us both crack up, and then the sound of shoes on stairs is heard through the walls.

"Go!" Amy says, opening the window.

I nod, then walk over to the window. She waves me out, and then blows out a sigh.

"Oh, and by the way... Thanks for the best birthday ever." She laughs, giving me a kiss on the cheek.

"Anytime." I chuckle, heading out the window and down the shingles of the roof.

I have to hurry, so I grab hold of the edge of the roof, and then let go. I plummet at least nine feet, and then hit the ground hard. 'Oof!' I think, not daring say it outloud. I clutch my butt as I run towards my trainer's house, not knowing completely where I'm headed. But when I see the right street name, I whip around the corner and run off to Foy's house. I burst through the door, running down the stairs as I hold my butt.

Foy glances up from his coffee, a smug grin on his face as he removes the mug from his lips. "I expected you'd be coming."

"Uh, yeah... I got a little held up at work, sorry." I say, wiping my forehead.

"Lovely. By the way, your fly is down." Foy laughs, setting down his coffee.

"Your brother dropped these off for you." Foy says, handing me my Reaping clothes as I zip up my pants.

"He said that you need to meet him at the Square at 11:30." Foy informs me, nodding his head.

"Uh... What time is it now?" I ask.

"11:21." Laughs Foy, shaking his head.

"You'll never make it." He adds, smirking at me.

"Oh, yes I will!" I yell, charging into the bathroom and doing a quick change.

I throw on my black button down, gray pants, and my white sneakers. I rush out of the bathroom, give Foy a quick hug, then I'm on my way. I run to the Square, darting through the check in line. I'm checked in, then I'm pushed into the crowd. I watch as I walk down the isle, seeing the girls swoon, and put on dreamy smiles. I even take the liberty of chuckling and giving a few girls a little wink. I step into the crowd, then sneak up behind my little brother, Viktor.

"Boo." I laugh, watching as he turns to face me.

A little tiny rabbit head peeks out of Viktor's trouser pocket, and I bet the bunny's head. I bought Viktor this rabbit, and we named him Thomas. He was a tiny little thing, the smallest in his litter, and he was my favorite. With cream colored fur and big brown eyes, I had to buy the little guy for my brother.

Viktor gives me a sad smile, then hugs me. "I don't want to go." He says.

"I know... But you won't." I say to my rather frail brother.

The fact that he suffered from diabetes wasn't helping. Every day he was exhausted until he had the exact amount of food in him, and every day he was dreary until he had the right amount of sugar in him. But I still loved him for how, and who, he was. I loved him ever since the second he was born, and my love for him grew stronger the day my father died. I never truly understood responsibility until that very day. That's why I did my terrible job. To supply for what was left of my family, and to pay for my training.

Anyway, the hideous Capitol Representative steps on stage wearing enormous heels, and a ridiculous amount of make up. She's also wearing disgusting bright green outfit, and to top it all off, she's got a horrible sore throat. I watch as she picks out the female Tribute, who is actually quite pretty. Her name is Jade, and she makes her way on stage with fearless confidence. She's tall with bright blue eyes, brown hair, and a nice smile.

The Capitol Representative gives a short amount of applause, and then reaches into the bowl. She plucks out a slip, unfolds it, and returns to the microphone.

"Douglas Hilgenbrinck!" She squeaks out.

I don't feel surprised by this, and I look down to my brother. He has tears filling his big, dull eyes. I give him a hug, then walk down the isle. Again, the girls swoon, but the confidence I once held has disappeared. It's gone, vanished, and has felt like it never existed. I climb the stairs, and find myself staring head on at the girl. She smiles slightly at me, and then shakes my hand.

"Into the Justice Building we go!" The Representative says quietly, pushing us both through the enormous, heavy doors.


	8. District 8 Reaping

**District Eight time! Woot woot! :D Alright, so, we're almost to the arrivals, and I NEED those allies, people! If you don't know or remember who your partner is, P.M. Me! Don't be shy! I don't bite... Sometimes :3 Anyway, just enjoy this chapter! Leave a review for sponsor points! :) ~Squintz**

_DISTRICT 8 REAPING_

**Cordelia Bonnell -**

"Diane?" I ask, sneaking into my younger sister's bedroom bright and early.

"Diane?" I whisper again, tip-toeing over to her bed.

Her head rests on the pillow, auburn curls strewn out behind her. I smile, then give her a gentle shake. She mumbles something, rolling over and tucking the covers to her nose. I move to the other side of the bed, shaking her again.

"Diane, wake up!" I whisper.

"Hmmm?" She says quietly, her eyes still closed.

"You have to wake up..." I murmur, poking her nose.

She opens her eyes, sitting up slowly. I look around, then draw the blinds. She covers her eyes, then frowns.

"Why so early?" She whines quietly.

"Because dad isn't up yet, and if he isn't up, we can go to the Square and maybe even run to the store beforehand. That way, we won't get..." I trail off.

"What?" She asks in a sleepy whisper.

"Just... We just have to go." I say, walking over to the dresser and pulling out her Reaping outfit.

She slips out of bed, and I hand her the little white dress. She walks to the bathroom, and closes the door. I sit on the edge of her bed, glancing over to the picture of her and her old puppy. Well, she used to have him. Before my father killed him. My father is an alcoholic who takes out his anger on anybody that even walks in front of him while he's drunk. So, when her puppy was walking around, my father got annoyed and stabbed the poor little thing.

It crushed my heart when I had to tell Diane he ran away. Today, I wanted to take her to the store and buy her something. If she wanted, I'd even buy her a puppy. Since, really, Diane was the only one I cared for. I wouldn't ever let myself love another person. Even a boy.

Diane emerges from the bathroom with her curly auburn hair pulled back into a ponytail, tied off with a little white bow. Her white dress reaches to her knees, and it makes her look a bit tall for an eight year old. I smile, then give my sister a hug. She giggles, then tilts her head.

"Where are we going?" She asks as I lead her out of her room and out the front door.

"To the store." I chuckle, holding her hand as we walk.

"To get what?" Diane asks.

"Anything you want!" I laugh.

"But why?" She asks.

"Because I'm feeling generous. Is that okay with you?" I smile down at her as she skips along.

"Okay." She nods, cheerfully.

We walk down to the store, which is located a few blocks from the Square, but a long way away from our house. Now, my father owns the store, and I know the people who work there. They know what's going on in my house, and they know how to keep their mouths shut. But since the assistant manager has the key, we can get in early. Even though my father's sleeping right now.

We arrive at the store, and I open up the door. A little bell chimes, and Calico, the assistant manager, looks up at us with a smile. She waves us over, and Diane stumbles after me. We arrive at the front counter, and Calico gives us a sadder smile.

"You two look beautiful today. Too bad it's nothing to be happy about, though..." Calico says, brushing back her bright red hair.

"Well thank you." I say.

"Thanks!" Diane says, wandering off to look at the array of random items stocked up in the back of the store.

"Treating her well?" Calico grins at me, clicking her tongue.

"Of course. Who will? My mom won't speak for a minute, and my dad is always drunk." I sigh, watching as Diane rummages through the display.

"I suppose you're right. Well, look at it this way, if she ever finds out, she'll know how to fend for herself." Calico nods.

"You're right, I suppose." I sigh.

"Oh, yes, I forgot..." Calico says, handing me a key.

"My sister's dog had puppies a week ago, and she said she wanted Diane to have one. Go pick one out. Her treat. This is the key to the cage." Calico smiles.

"Thank you so much!" I say, running behind the counter to hug her.

"Anytime, hon." She nods us to the door.

"Now hurry up! Your dad's probably going to be here in about... Ten minutes." Calico says, looking at her little silver wristwatch.

"Alright, thanks again!" I say, grabbing Diane and rushing from the store.

"Where are we going?" Diane asks.

"To Calico's." I reply.

"Why?" She asks quietly.

"To get you a puppy." I smile at her.

"Oh my gosh! A puppy?! A new puppy?! Oh my gosh!" She squeals.

We reach Calico's house, and then sneak around to the backyard. Sure enough, there's a little cage full of puppies. They yip and squeak, tugging on each other's ears and playing tug of war. Diane squeals again, picking up a little brown puppy with short, fuzzy fur. He has big brown eyes and a little white belly.

"This one," Diane nods, giving him a gentle hug.

"Alright, now let's go." I smile, walking out the back gate as Diane follows behind, cradling the puppy tight.

"What're you going to name him?" I giggle.

"Squeezy!" She exclaims.

"Why?" I laugh.

"Because he's squishy! And he likes hugs!" Diane giggles.

"Alright, silly." I smile, wrapping my arm around her shoulders while we walk down to the Square.

We arrive in short time, and we're checked in even faster. I sigh as Diane shuffles into the back of the crowd by herself, since she's too young to get picked. I move into my own crowd, and stand tall. I turn to see Bridget, my closest friend and practically my sister, and give a little jump.

"Hiya!" She exclaims with a smile.

"You scared me to death, dude!" I laugh, giving her a hug.

"You ready?" She asks quietly, squeezing my hand tight.

"Very..." I whisper, looking out to the District Representative.

He claps his bright purple hands, decorated with black nail polish. "Let's do this! First, watch the video over... There!"

He points to the screen, then gives us all a big, wide smile. The video plays, showing a few graphic pieces that I pray Diane didn't look at. Then, the voice is back over the match.

"Ready to pick our female Tribute? Too bad! Let's see..." He walks to the bowl, plucks a slip out, and runs to the microphone.

"Our female Tribute is going to be... Cordelia Bonnell!" He yells.

**Toro Breckenridge -**

"_Any last words, Eight?" The District Two Tribute grinned, holding my friend, Lowell, to the ground._

_Lowell struggled, and writhed underneath the District Two boy. I just watched in horror as the District Two boy pushed a knife against Lowell's throat. Lowell moved his head at an awkward angle, biting down on the District Two boy's fingers. The boy screamed as blood oozed from Lowell's mouth, a few of his fingers actually coming off._

_He jumped off of Lowell, who delivered a kick to his gut. The District Two boy cowered back, and clutched his aching stomach. I grinned, cheering and clapping as Lowell made a run for it. Then, I saw the District Two girl chasing after him. Lowell snatched up a pack, heading past the District One Tributes who were busy hacking up some poor little District Nine twelve year old girl. I screamed Lowell's name, knowing he couldn't even hear me all the way back in District Eight._

_The girl swung her battle axe around, impaling Lowell in the back of his torso. He screamed out in agony, hitting the ground as the girl buried the blade deeper into his back. He attempted to crawl away, and the girl pulled her axe out, picking Lowell up by the hair. She let go of him, then swung the axe into his chest. Lowell collapsed to the ground, and the cannon boomed out over the television. I screamed out, crawling off my bed and pressing my palm to the television screen as the District Two girl grinned at her kill._

_The District Eight girl then ran up behind her, wrapping her arms around her neck and taking her to the ground. She picked up her dagger and forced it through the District Two girl's neck. She screamed over the roar of the sudden thunder and downpour that occurred in the Arena. District Eight grabbed the girl by the hair and swung her face into the ground. With that, the District Eight girl grabbed the girls' pack, swung it over her shoulder, and ran off._

_I switched off the television, sat down, and collapsed on my bed. I pulled the pillow to my face, and had myself a good cry. After all, I'd just seen my best friend get killed over national television. And it wasn't even his fault..._

"Toro!" The faint voice of my younger brother, Kot, yells.

"Toro!" The voice yells again.

I shoot up in my chair, looking around. "What?!" I scream.

"Dude. It's breakfast. You zoned out." My sister, Lucia, says in an annoyed voice.

"Oh..." I say, looking down at my plate.

I feel my cheeks turning a dull red color, and then Daria laughs at me. I look at her, shooting her a glare. She just snickers, then shakes her head.

"Everything embarrasses you, Toro. Man up!" Daria says, dabbing on some eye make up.

"Have you not met our parents?" Kot pipes up, poking at his lopsided pancake.

"How could we not forget the time they ran stark naked through District Eight?" Lucia chimes in, a grin on her face.

I feel my face burning red at the memory of that, and Lynn walks into the kitchen, pouring herself a glass of milk.

"What's up, children?" She says casually, drinking from her glass.

"Talking." Kot says.

"Reminiscing on our psycho parents!" Daria exclaims, nodding her head.

"Sounds like a good time." Lynn smiles.

Lynn was a twenty year old girl who moved in with us a while back. See, since my parents are so strange, they allow random people who need a place to stay crash in our house. We don't mind it, since our house is enormous, and we have it pretty good with cash, but sometimes the people are a little awkward. Lynn, however, was actually pretty cool. She was laid back, mellow, and totally okay with anything that happened in the house.

"Yeah remember the time they ran-" Lucia begins.

"Everybody knows that they ran around District Eight naked, no need to revisit it a second time!" I stand up, yelling at the top of my lungs.

Instantly, I regret it, and it leaves my cheeks bright red. I smile shyly at Lynn, who lifts a brow at me, and then run upstairs to my room. I let out a sigh, then shake my head. Why does everything embarrass me so easily? So what if I had the goofiest parents in the District? Who cared? Well, I did... But, still!

I shake the thoughts from my brain, walking over to my closet. I pull out my cream trousers, pulling them on, and then examining my dress shirts. I fix my eyes on my white shirt, and then put it on. I button it up the middle, then smile as I pick out my black boots, and then fix up my hair. I spike up the short black hair on my head, and then wink playfully at my reflection. For some natural reason, I blush. I quickly look away from my reflection, then walk out of my room and down the stairs.

"Toro's back!" Kot screams at the top of his lungs.

"Yes, I am." I say, rolling my eyes with a slight laugh.

My father runs down the stairs in only his underwear, looking around. Kot bursts out with laughter, clutching his stomach. Lucia and Daria laugh as well, and my father just looks around.

"Have you guys seen my black button up shirt?!" He exclaims, looking around in a panicked way.

"Check the freezer." Lynn says casually.

"Well, alright." He nods, walking over to the fridge.

He opens up the top door, and then pulls out his shirt, pulling it on and buttoning it up.

"Hey, thanks, Lynn." He smiles, patting the top of her head, then walking upstairs again.

I can already feel my face bright red, and I slap my palm against my face.

"Look, Toro's turning pink! How cute!" Daria laughs, and then begins to choke on her orange juice.

Kot runs over to 'help', and slaps her hard across the back. She spits a mouthful of OJ at Lucia, her own twin. I begin to die with laughter, and I almost choke on my own spit. I look to the front door, and then back to the kitchen. Even Lynn is laughing. I chuckle, then turn to the front door again.

"I'm going to go." I exclaim as Frenk walks down the stairs.

"Oh you're going?! Can I go, too?!" He asks.

"Oh, and me too?!" Kot yells at the top of his lungs.

"If you both promise not to yell." I sigh, opening the door and listening to the sound of them following me out the door.

We begin our walk to the Square, and the boys kick a rock back and forth between me. I blow out a heavy breath, and Kot kicks up a bunch of dirt. I cough, swatting the air.

"Sorry." Kot laughs, and Frenk giggles.

We finally reach the Square and Frenk squirms while they draw his blood. Kot lets out a single yell, and the Peacekeeper woman looks annoyed. I'm still and silent, mostly because I'm embarrassed again. We get into our crowds, and Kot and Frenk are finally away from me, but still together. The District Representative walks on stage, and picks the female Tribute.

The girl has dark hair, and she doesn't look amused when called up there. But she doesn't seem to care, really. I frown, tilting my head. How weird. I can hear her little sister screaming from the back of the crowd, and I try to block it out. The Representative walks to the boy's bowl, picks a name, then returns to the mike.

"Toro Breckenridge will be our male Tribute!" He announces.

I look around, feeling my cheeks turn bright red as always. What had just happened? What were the odds?! I walk down the isle, climbing up the steps, and then standing right in front of Cordelia. She gives me a sad smile, and then I blush even more. Cordelia giggles a bit, then shakes my hand.

"Off to the Capitol, we go!" The Representative says, grabbing our shoulders and leading us into the Justice Building.


	9. District 9 Reaping

**Meh! Sorry for the late update! T-T I've been busy lately, since school starts tomorrow! BUT, at least we only have three Districts to go! :3 I hope you guys enjoy! And there may be a second update on the story today! I don't know, though! Anyway, enjoy! :) ~Squintz**

_DISTRICT 9 REAPING_

**Alex Fahey -**

"_Haha, come on, Alex! Just do it!" My friend Jillian calls, diving off the dock and into the water._

_I look down at the rushing river water, seeing practically no end. The fact that it's dark and it's nighttime isn't helping, either. Ryan goes charging past me, yelling as he slams into the water._

"_Cannonball!" He laughs, shaking out his wet, floppy hair._

"_Come on, Alex!" Jillian whines, waving me over._

_I keep myself wrapped in my baggy white shirt, folding my arms. I'd spent the night at Jillian's, and when she came up with an idea, she wouldn't tell me what it was. So, naturally, I agreed. We met with Ryan at the dock, and Jillian dove in. I had put on my bathing suit underneath this shirt, and I wasn't going to take it off just yet. I didn't even know if I was going to go in the water._

"_Alex, don't be a chicken!" Ryan chuckles, splashing me._

_I squeal, cowering away from the freezing cold water._

"_It's cold, though!" I wince._

"_Not when you get used to it." Ryan exclaims, doing a messy backstroke._

"_O-Okay..." I say quietly, pulling the shirt off and tossing it aside._

_I run on the freezing cold dock, and then jump into the water. The freezing water overwhelms me, and I freeze up for a moment. Jillian giggles, and then pulls me above water. I swim out after Ryan and Jillian, and then they swim underwater. I follow after them, emerging from the dark in a totally different place. A cave full of water and rocks._

"_Woah!" Jillian exclaims._

"_Uh, let's just... Um..." I start._

"_Come on, Alex... Don't be like that. Look!" Jillian says, pointing to another tunnel and swimming through it with Ryan._

_I attempt to follow after without worry, knowing it's really late at night and her parents might wake up and begin to worry where we'd gone. I swim through the tunnel, then push up to go above the water and catch my breath. But I can't go anywhere. My foot is caught underneath a rock that must've shifted when I swam by it. I don't panic, but I know I'll need air soon._

_I reach a hand above water, and begin splashing the surface to catch Jillian or Ryan's attention. But nothing happens. I gather up all the air from my lungs, and pull my body towards the rock that crushes my foot. I can't get the thing to budge, and my foot begins to hurt. I push myself back up, and begin thrashing at the surface some more. Nobody comes, still... And I close my eyes and accept what could be coming... Death._

_I get stuck in a dark mind frame for a bit, and then accidentally suck in a breath full of water. I cough, sputtering and choking as the water fills my nose and my lungs begin to burn. I cover my mouth, then sink to the bottom of the tunnel, my eyes rolling into the back of my head._

I jerk upright violently in bed, sweat drenching my face and my back. I use the front of my shirt to wipe at my face, and then look at the alarmed tuxedo cat sitting in front of me. He raises a little white paw to my face, pawing at it and letting out a mew.

"Yeah, Buster, I'm okay." I laugh, stroking the top of his head between his ears.

He purrs, then lodges himself between my chest and my neck. I smile at him, and he moves around to wrap himself around my neck, hanging on my shoulders. I stand up, then head out into the kitchen where I hear light conversation going on between my brother and my father talking.

"Who do you think it'll be?" Sam asks my father, his tone darker than usual.

"I don't know... I mean, there aren't many good fighters in District Nine, right?" My father says quietly, having been a Victor in his teenage years.

He won at age seventeen. Ever since we were born, we'd lived in Victor's Village. Of course, my father never wanted to stay still, so he continued to work plowing the fields.

"That's true." I say, getting a bagel from the toaster and slabbing some cream cheese on it.

I sit down at the table beside them, and then indulge in my light breakfast.

"Yeah... I mean, how come all the other Districts close to the Capitol somehow have the Career Academy? How come we don't get that? If you ask me, it's stupid!" My brother frowns.

"You know what's stupid?" My father growls.

"What?" We both say quietly.

"The Hunger Games. The Hunger Games in general is stupid! It scars you, it leaves you to think about who you've killed, what you've done, and how many people you've left upset with you. You know how many people from District One probably sit awake at night, staring at the ceiling and rethinking the moment I cut open their kid's or their friend's or their brother's or their sister's throat?" My father says, taking his knife and stabbing it hard through his plate.

"Um... How many?" Sam asks quietly, daring to speak up.

"More than you and I both know, Sam." My father says, walking over to the coat rack.

He pulls off his leather jacket, then slips it on over his red shirt.

"I have to go... See you two after the Reaping," He murmurs, kissing us both on the top of the head, then walking out the front door.

Sam blows out a long overdue sigh, full of the uncomfortable heaviness from the conversation. I sigh as well, then finish off my bagel.

"I'm going to go find Ryan after I get dressed." I say, walking upstairs.

"Okay." I hear Sam say just before I enter my room, heading right for the closet.

I pick out my white dress, the one that hugs my body just right. It stops right under my knees, and it goes perfectly with my favorite white dress shoes. The straps on the dress are wide on my shoulders, but not enough to cover them. I look at my reflection, put my hair in a messy bun, then pull off my dress shoes and hold them in my hands, walking down the stairs.

"Alright, I'm going to find Ryan." I holler, not knowing where Sam is in the house right now.

I hold my dress shoes tight, then go running through the front door. I take off down the hill that leads to the regular housing area of District Nine, and pass through the dirt streets, loving the feel of how fast I run. I smile, then run even faster, past the stores and the bakery, the market stands. When I'm past the stores, I break through the lining of forest that leads to Ryan's family's fields. I smile, then wave at him, seeing him working the plow.

He stops the horses, then grins and walks over to me, wiping the back of his palm along his forehead.

"Well, if it isn't miss Alex Fahey. I was expecting you," Ryan laughs.

"Of course you were," I giggle, nodding to the forest lining.

"You going to go?" I ask.

"No, I got plowing to finish." He sighs, nodding to the remaining part of the field, which looks to be about four acres.

"Lucky you. Well, come over when you're done. Alright?" I smile, beginning to walk in the direction of the Square.

"Sure thing." Ryan nods, jogging off towards his horses and plow once more.

I run to the Square, and just when I'm within range, I put my dress shoes back on and walk straight to the check in line. The woman draws my blood, and I flinch a little when she jabs me. She presses my finger to the paper, then ushers me off. I walk into the crowd, and give Jillian a hug when I spot her.

Usually, her chatty self would instantly begin to talk, but on Reaping days, she's practically silent. We stand in complete motionless, utter silence as the District Representative walks on the stage with a bright grin.

"Hello, District Nine!" She says loudly, waving with obnoxious gold gloves that I'm guessing should be the color of wheat.

She gets nothing from us in response, and then shrugs and plays us the video, and then smiles.

"Let's pick a female Tribute!" She squeals, running to the Tribute bowl in her big heels and plucking a name slip.

She stumbles back to the microphone.

"This year's female potential winner will be..." She begins to giggle, and even snorts, "Alex Fahey!"

**Cyan Akins -**

I walk downstairs late in the morning, seeing my little sister sleeping, huddled up on the couch with one of her stuffed doll toys. I mutter a swear, then snatch the doll up and rip off the head. My little sister sits up quickly, then frowns at me.

"Cyan! How come you did that?" She whimpers, standing up and following me to the kitchen.

"You know why." I growl, opening the fridge and pouring myself a glass of water.

I gulp some down, and then look down to Marina, who's still looking up at me with watery eyes.

"Can I please have her back?" She whispers, her voice tiny and shaky.

"No." I snarl, putting my glass in the sink, and then walking back to the living room with the severed doll in my hands.

"Cyan!" She whines.

I whip around, shoving her hard to the floor. She looks up at me with teary eyes, a few tears even rolling down her face. Marina brushes her black hair back behind her shoulder, her enormous hazel eyes bloodshot from all the crying I force upon her.

"You're five years old. Stop acting like a baby." I snap, throwing the torn up doll on her chest.

"You're fifteen! You shouldn't be doing this! It's not my fault mom died!" Marina yells in a tiny voice, standing up and pointing at me.

"Shut up! Don't ever talk about mom! It's all your fault and you know it!" I yell, slapping her so hard across the face she falls to the floor again.

"I hate you, Cyan!" Marina cries out, holding her broken doll to her chest and running up the stairs.

"Good! I hate you too! Stupid brat!" I scream up the stairs, seeing my father come walking through the front door.

"Why are you yelling?!" He frowns, shaking his head.

"Because!" I yell at him, storming up the stairs and slamming the door to my room shut.

"Stupid little..." I growl to myself, throwing on my Reaping outfit.

Just my jeans and a white t-shirt. I glare at my reflection, then put on the smirk that usually occupies my face. 'Much better.' I think, turning to my door and opening it up. I walk down the stairs, and then into the kitchen. My father sits at the table, reading a book of some sort.

"Dad. I'm going to the Reaping," I say darkly, walking over to the front door.

"Cyan." My dad begins.

"What?" I say, clenching the door knob tight.

"What's been going on?" He asks.

"Tell me. I want to know. I'm your father, and I'm here for you to talk to..." He adds.

"No. I don't need to talk to anybody. I'm fine." I reply, walking out the door and slamming it shut.

I walk to the Square, and I cut everybody in the line. Nobody says anything, because they're all afraid of me. I grin, then let the woman take my blood. The Peacekeeper goes to touch my shoulder to lead me to my crowd, but I slap his hand away and clamp my teeth together in his face.

I walk into the crowd, then get bumped into by a boy who looks to be about a year younger than me. I whip around, and tap him on the shoulder. His friends that he's talking to look drained of color, and their faces fill with fear as the boy turns around. I grab him by the neck of his dress shirt, and glare at him.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I snarl.

"Uh... What?" He asks quietly.

"You think you're cool? Harassing people like that?" I say in his face, gritting my teeth.

"Look man, I don't know what I did." He says, trying to touch his feet to the floor.

I yank him up harder. "You know exactly what you did you lousy piece of shi-"

"Alex Fahey!" The voice of the District Representative booms out over the Square, blocking out my insult.

"Just let me go, dude!" He yells, kicking me in the leg.

"You're dead!" I scream, throwing him to the ground and pouncing on him.

I swing my fists at his face, making him spit blood out from biting his tongue. I punch his nose and his eyes, making his nose bleed, and even crack. The Peacekeepers flood the crowd, and pull me off of him just as my name is called.

"Cyan Akins!" She announces.

The Peacekeepers drag me on stage, still holding me tight as I shake Alex's hand, blood dribbling from my lip. I grin at her in a twisted way, lowering my eyebrows. She releases my dirt and blood covered hand, and then the District Representative leads her into the Justice Building, while I'm escorted by the Peacekeepers... Maybe this wouldn't be so bad... Taking my anger out on other kids by killing them... Maybe that was just what I needed...


	10. District 10 Reaping

**Alright! District 10 here we go! Just a warning: Updates may be a bit slow, now that I'm back in school ^-^ I don't know if this is creepy to you guys, but they actually installed cameras on the ends of each building. O_O" Creepy, right?! Anyway, read and review! Leave your thoughts on the Tributes, and earn yourself sponsor cash :) Enjoy! ~Squintz**

_DISTRICT 10 REAPING_

**Bandit Lee Highland -**

I wake up early, swinging the sheets off of my legs and feeling the cool air rush over my skin. I smile, yawn, and then walk to the window. It's still a tiny bit dark out, and the sun peeks over the mountains of District Ten. I then walk over to my closet, pulling on a jacket over my tank top, and run downstairs in my pajamas. The house is dark, silent, and still. Good enough for me, though. I already know that my father is out in the stables.

I walk out the back door, then run through the garden and slip through the half open stable doors. My father leans against the door of the stable belonging to our only Clydesdale, Micki. I sneak over, then lean against the door beside him. He flashes me a grin, then nods to the tiny colt standing beside Micki. I smile, seeing the little energetic horse. He squeaks, squealing and nudging at Micki's forelegs.

"I didn't name him yet... I thought maybe you'd want to." My father says, unlatching the door and letting me in.

He stays outside, watching as I crouch down beside the light brown colt, stroking his side. He nudges at my hand, and Micki continues to gnaw on the feed, keeping an eye on us. I smile as the colt tilts his head at me and lets out another squeak. I run my fingers across his nose, then scratch behind his ears.

"I think... I think I'll name him Kesler." I nod, laughing as the colt huffs and swishes his short, white tail.

"Kesler?" My father chuckles, lifting a quizzical eyebrow at me.

"Yeah, Kesler. You know? Meaning energetic." I grin, running my fingers through Kesler's short little mane.

Kesler nudges my hand, and I smile up at Micki. She whinnies, and I brush my hand along her back.

"When was he born?" I ask my father.

"About... Three hours ago." He nods, scratching his curly brown hair.

"Cute little boy." I laugh, standing up and walking outside the stable.

"Dale up yet?" I ask him.

"Uh, yeah. She should be out in the ring with Cecily." He replies, keeping his eyes locked on Micki and Kesler.

"Alright, I'll be back after the Reaping." I say, walking out of the back doors of the stables and towards the ring.

Sure enough, my younger sister Dale sits atop her most troublesome black horse, Cecily. Cecily rears up on her back legs, letting out a loud huff. Dale yells out as she goes tumbling off Cecily's back, hitting the ground on her back. Her legs go flying behind her head, and she does a back flip on the ground, sitting up with wide eyes.

"Dang it, Cecily! You'll never be trained, will you?!" Dale yells, watching as Cecily paces quick circles.

I walk over, leaning against the railing.

"Maybe something's bothering her." I say.

Dale stands up, looking over to me as she brushes off her filthy jeans and shirt.

"Nah, I think she's just spooked from the storm a few days ago..." Dale nods, her voice still loud... As usual.

"Horses don't stay spooked for that long." I say, moving to sit up on the fence.

"Yeah! They _can_! She does, look!" Dale argues, jabbing a finger in the direction of Cecily.

"That doesn't mean anything." I laugh, hopping down onto the dirt.

I walk over to Cecily, getting close enough to grab her saddle. I hoist myself up, and Cecily begins to trot along. I click my tongue, then tug on the reigns a little bit.

"Calm down." I say quietly, stroking her neck.

Cecily slows down a little, and huffs a few times. I tug on the reigns a bit more, and she slows to a stop.

"Good girl... Now, let's see if you can pick up the pace..." I murmur, using my heels to push into her sides.

She speeds up, and I repeat the process until we're at a gentle run. I smile, then look over to Dale. She glares at me with crossed arms, and I bring Cecily to a quick stop next to Dale.

"It just takes patience... And you have to be calm around her, or she'll get uneasy." I say, hopping off the saddle and stroking the side of Cecily's neck.

"I don't get it, though! I mean, I practice with her every day, and sometimes I have to battle her to get on the saddle." She frowns, wrapping her index finger around the side of Cecily's bridle and walking her out of the ring.

She takes her back to the stables, and I follow. When she's got Cecily in her stable, I turn to her.

"Maybe you should just keep it calm when you train with her... She'll get better, Dale. I promise. How do you think I trained Casanova?" I say, giving her a hug with a calm smile.

Casanova is my favorite horse, and he is also_ my _horse. He is a gruella, and he's the most beautiful horse you ever saw. He's a total sweetheart, and he's always willing to work with me. He's truly an amazing horse. He was born the same year I turned five, and as a present, my parents let me have him.

"Whatever you say. Now, come on... Let's get dressed for the Reaping." Dale nods, walking out to the house and passing my father as he leans against Micki's stable.

The sun had completely come out from behind the mountains, and it was going to be a hot day in District Ten. The refreshing burst of cool air rushes over me as I follow Dale back into the house. We walk upstairs, and she branches off into her room, as I do to mine. I head to my dresser, picking out my favorite sundress. It's a warm color, and it's also my only dress.

I also put on my matching shoes, and head down the stairs. My mother smiles at me, taking a sip of coffee.

"Well, I'm guessing someone's heading out early... You taking Dale?" She asks, nodding at my younger sister as she heads down the stairs.

"Of course I will. Did Flynt and Louis already go?" I ask, brushing my loose hair over my shoulders.

"Yup. They left about five minutes ago." My mother says, heading out the back door to find my father.

"Let's go, Dale." I say, leading her out the front door and to the Square, which is a short walk from our house.

We walk in silence, and shuffle through the long check in line. The woman takes my blood, and I wait for Dale. Dale flinches, and then rubs her finger underneath her nose, leaving a streak of blood that looks like a mustache. I wipe it off with my thumb, and then we take our spots in the crowds. The ridiculous District Representative waltzes across the stage, a grin on his face.

"Welcome, District Ten! Are you ready for the Reaping? Let's begin with a short video!" He says, flashing the video, then letting the crowd fall silent once more.

"Let's pick our female Tribute, then. Yes?" He smirks, walking over to the bowl and plucking a single slip.

"Our female Tribute will be..." He pauses for some sort of effect.

"Bandit Lee Highland!" He yells.

**Matthew Juliann -**

I wake up to the sound of a fight going on outside. Of course, this isn't a surprise since I live in the worst part of District Ten. I sit up in bed, drawing the shades on my window. Sure enough, two big tall guys are swinging at eachother and then the one with black hair dives on top of the blonde, tackling him to the ground. I rush for my closet, tugging out my black sweatshirt, and pulling it over my head.

I tug on my Reaping pants over my boxers, stumbling out my door and hopping out the hallway. I run out the front door, then sneak around to the back of the house where my room is. I pull the hood over my head, and then do a double take... I seriously need cash. I dash out from behind the house, running right in the middle of the scrap. I snatch both wallets from the men's pockets as they fight.

I rocket away from the scene, darting through District Ten. The heat is overwhelming, but I don't dare lower my hood.

"Juliann!" I hear a voice yell from behind, but I keep running as fast as I can.

I swing around a corner, and keep running. My legs burn, but I keep going. Finally, I burst through the doors of the District Ten bakery, and I ring the service bell, catching my breath. Quickly, I pull off the sweatshirt and hide it in my shirt, leaning up against the front counter.

A tall, fairly muscular man comes out from a door in the back, a smile on his face.

"Hey, bud. How can I help you?" He asks.

"Uh, I just need... Three loaves of bread, please." I say, handing him the correct amount of cash.

"Okay... One second." He says, walking back through the door, and then coming back and handing me three loaves of warm bread in a paper bag.

I slip the bag up my shirt as well, and then head out of the bakery, back to my house. My stomach growls as the scent floods my nose, and then I see the black haired man and the blonde haired man heading down the street across from me. They're turned the other way, so they haven't noticed me. I shudder, then run down the street and back to my house.

I burst through the front door, then set the bag on the table and open it up. I cut the loaves into pieces, then place them on plates and cup my hands around my mouth.

"Breakfast, guys! Up and at 'em!" I yell, tucking the stolen wallets in my back pockets.

My sleepy brothers and my sister emerge from their rooms, all yawning and rubbing their eyes.

"What time is it?" Carolyn asks, stretching her arms.

"It's ten thirty, so get ready soon. The Reaping starts at eleven." I say, pointing to the bread loaves as I pull an apple from a bowl on the counter and start eating it.

"Woah, how'd you get this?!" My older brother, Kilo, asks.

"I saved up, and walked to the bakery this morning." I lie.

"Mmm... Still warm." My younger brothers say in unison, being twins.

"Yup. Once you're finished, hurry on up and get dressed, alright?" I say, walking back to my room and finishing up my apple.

I toss the core in the trashcan, and then walk to my closet. I pull out my white dress shirt, and slip it on over my head. I stroll to the mirror, looking at my reflection. I had short, blonde hair and blue eyes. I was okay, I suppose. Generally handsome, but overlooked.

I walk from my room, striding down the hallway.

"You guys ready?" I yell, standing in the empty kitchen.

Mixed answers confirming they are, and they all come into the kitchen. I smile, and then lead them out the front door. Kilo rolls past on his wheelchair, and I close the door behind him. We arrive at the Square a few minutes after we leave, and it takes even longer to get checked in. Carolyn leads Jared and Zach into the back with the other six year olds, and Kilo follows after.

I walk into my crowd of sixteen year olds, and stand there silently. There's a hushed murmur among the crowd, and it instantly ceases when the District Representative walks on stage. He's overly peppy, even when he picks the girl Tribute. She's got no sign of conflicted emotion, and she steps up on stage in silence.

"Our male Tribute for this year will be... Mr... Matthew Juliann!" He yells, waving me up.

I slowly make my way down the isle, a blank expression on my face. I don't know how I should react, and I step up the stairs looking at the ground. I shake the blonde girl's hand, and she flashes my a shy smile.

"Let's go!" He announces, dragging us into the Justice Building.


	11. District 11 Reaping

**Welcome to the District Eleven Reapings... Only one more to go! Excited? :) I hope you like it! The Games are approaching fast, yes? Only Goodbyes, Arrivals, Chariot Night, Training, Training Scores, and then Interviews... Excited? I hope :)**

_DISTRICT 11 REAPING_

**Alecta Cotts -**

My mother used to be full of life. Until my father began to lose control over his bipolar disorder. She was smart and beautiful and funny. And she would always tell me happy things her own mother told me... Well, the first day my father ever gave her a beating, taking his rage out on her, she said: Behind every girl is a story. And in front of them is someone waiting to hear more. Someone who won't do them wrong... But my case was different...

_I walked from class to class, an unsettling silence falling over me as I strolled the campus alone. Of course, there were other people. They were all around me. Bumping into me, exchanging looks at me, and throwing side glances at me. But, I was unshaken. The constant looks and the indifferent expressions weren't enough to break me. Just because I was the silent, mysterious girl on campus. Even in the 7th grade, people would question who you were._

_I passed my 4th period classroom, and had just arrived at the 6th period classroom door. I reached for the handle on the door, when District Eleven's biggest menace stepped in front of me, grabbing my wrist. I glanced down to my feet, then brought my eyes up to match his. He smirked, then tilted his head._

"_How's your day goin', Cotts?" He cackled, his laugh sending chills down my spine._

_Before I knew it, I was on the ground. I stood up, brushing off my jeans and picking up my books. Still, I was silent._

"_Jeez, Cotts. What are you? A rock?" The red headed boy laughed, shaking his head._

"_Well, you know what... That was sort of rhetorical, in a way. I mean, you are stupid... Like a rock. You're silent... Like a rock. And... You're boring... Like a rock." He said, faking a yawn and then slapping me across the face._

_I fell to my knees, clutching the side of my face. 'Easy, Alecta... Easy...' I forced myself to think straight, but I couldn't for long. Something inside of me broke... And I didn't realize what I'd done until the boy was constricted in my grasp, his arm bent backwards behind him. There was a loud crack, and then he was on the ground screaming._

_I turned around, and to my surprise, a teacher stood behind me, slapping a ruler against her hand. I just looked up with big eyes, and then she snatched me up by the ear and pulled me up to the main office of the school. I got detention that day, for five hours. I also got expelled. I walked home late that night, arriving home at nine at night. When I walked through the door, my father was standing there with an unamused scowl on his face._

"_Where were you?" He snarled, crossing his arms._

"_I was at school..." I said, trying to get to the stairs._

_He grabbed my arm and swung me onto the ground, and then began to punch me. I screamed in pain as he pulled off his belt and smacked it against my arm to release my grip off of his wrist. I glance up to the tiny, decorative table sitting against the wall, and see there's an old knife sitting on the top. I pluck it off the table quickly, and then dig it into his skin. Luckily, I actually get it into his calf, and I pull it down as far as it will go. My father yells out in agony, and then collapses. I take this as an advantage, hold the knife, and run upstairs._

That was the day my family went completely dysfunctional. My father never spoke to us, and my mother was always wrapped up in her drinking. Trying to forget what had happened... Never really grasping hold of what could happen, or what was happening. This always worried me, and for her sake, I was glad she never watched the Hunger Games.

I look up at my ceiling, rubbing my eyes as I sit up. Every morning was the same. Wake up with thought, get breakfast, get dressed, and brush my teeth and hair. Nothing ever really changed. The most exciting part of my life was working during Harvest. Other than that, nothing else really changed. I was still the silent, shy, and strong girl I was since the day I was born. Nobody could change who I was, how my life went, or how I decided to spend my time.

I walk downstairs to the kitchen, make myself a bowl of cereal, and eat it quickly. I'll avoid all confrontation I can with my father. I know this is usually the time he wakes up to go to work... He was the second richest man in the District, and he was an executive. Mostly, he helped out the Mayor and made big trips to the Capitol and stuff.

I walk upstairs, making my way back to my bedroom. My mother sits in the hallway, slumped over a bit. A few copper colored bottles sitting beside her. How did I not notice this? I have no idea... I look at her, then crouch down and tilt my head. She jolts up, her eyes bloodshot and alert.

"What?" She says coldly.

"Just making sure you're okay." I say quietly.

"Okay? Okay? Ha! You make me laugh. You think I'm _okay_," My mother slurs, standing up with her bottle and stumbling down the stairs.

I shake my head reluctantly, walking into my room. I shut the door behind me, walking to the closet. I pull out my green shirt, and my white skirt, and pull them on for the Reaping. I woke up a bit late, so I should head out fast. I walk into the bathroom, brushing out my hair and pulling it into a ponytail. I tie in a little green bow to match my shirt, then head out of my room. I walk down the stairs, seeing my mother just lying there on the floor. Figures, though. She's always getting herself wasted. She can't even remember what happened eight minutes ago.

The fact that my father's probably having an affair when he goes to the Capitol doesn't help it out, either. I've been trying to get her to stop drinking, but she just can't put the bottle down. Even when I try and talk to her, she's too drunk to understand. She doesn't even let go of her alcohol bottle. So, since my family has no form of communication, it's a little hard to get a single sentence out of my dad or my mom. Like the conversation I had with my mother in the hallway, that was a rare occurance...

I just step over her, though. I continue to the door, and then turn as I hear my father walking down the stairs. I swing the door open, and then slam it shut. I run as fast as I can to the Square. It's about five blocks from my house, but I can make it. I continue to run, carrying my feet as quick as possible. When I reach the last block, I slow to a walk, catching my breath. Man, if my dad had come down stairs... He probably would've spoken to me. Trying to buy my love back with his cash.

I would never forgive him, though.

I check in with the Peacekeepers, the line pretty short since I came late. I walk into my age crowd, looking up to the stage. The District Representative, dressed in a bright, bright green outfit, makes her way across the stage. Her stilettos are covered in rhinestones, and they have a giant 'C' on the toe. I roll my eyes, shaking my head. This girl is obviously labeling herself. That's just a set up for criticism. She must be smart...

"Hello, District Eleven! Are you ready for the Reaping for the 475th Annual Quarter Quell?" She gushes, a smile on her face.

There's no response.

"Alright, well, first... We have a very special video coming all the way to you from the Capitol!" She says, clapping her hands and playing the video.

It's all about the war that happened back when this place was called America. And then it switched to Panem. That's when they changed the states to Districts, and then District 13 tried to rebel. Thus, the Hunger Games was born. I think it's now just an idea of entertainment from this stupid Capitol...

"Okay, now that we're done with that..." The Representative smiles, pulling off her sparkling green gloves, "Let's pick our first Tribute... Shall we?" She announces with glee, walking to the bowl.

She digs around in the bowl, reaching for the bottom. When she's satisfied, she picks out a random slip. She trots back to the bowl, unfolds the slip, and clears her throat. She licks her lips, and then grins.

"Alecta Cotts!"

And the name pierces my heart like a knife.

**Marius Steel -**

"Wake up!" My father yells at me.

I sit up quickly, nodding my head as my eyes whip open.

"Yes, sir." I say, getting up and out of bed.

"I want you downstairs in ten minutes, you got that?" He snarls.

"Yes, sir." I reply, nodding my head again.

Okay, if you're wondering why my father is being such a jerk... Well, he's not normally like this... About two months ago, I found out I was gay. I was studying for a test in my room with my friend Brent Siri. We were talking, and things got real. Well, soon enough he asked me if I was going to keep writing, or if I was going to kiss him. So, I did. And of course, my father just happened to walk in at that minute.

Brent was kicked from my house, and banned from ever returning. I got a beating from my father, and ever since then, I've been getting treated like dirt because of who I am. All I really want is to be accepted and _noticed_ by my parents. And I'm an only child! How does that happen? I don't know. But ever since that day... That minute... He's hated my living guts. We used to be so close. I guess you can't always be perfect, though... And maybe the best way for him to find out wasn't walking in on me and Brent mid kiss.

I trudge across the floor, walking to my dresser. I open it up, and pull out my light yellow button down shirt. I put it on, and then pick out my white dress slacks. I slip them on, and tuck my shirt in the waist, tightening them with a black belt. I sigh, then walk to the bathroom and start on my hair. I comb it out, then smile at my reflection.

Brown hair, green eyes. Fairly tall for my age of twelve years. I stood at five feet, five inches. Exceptionally tanned skin, and skinny. But I look pretty strong. Everything seemed okay except for my enormous scar on my ankle from an accident when I was eight. I walk from the bathroom, making my way down the stairs. My father glares at me from the kitchen, shaking his head.

He's probably thinking about how his only son is gay. I close my eyes, then open them quickly. I walk to the fridge, then pull out an orange and sit down at the table. My mother takes sips of her coffee, the whole room falling silent. I peel my orange, trying not to feel awkward. My own mother won't even talk to me because of my dad. I get up, throw away the peel, and then sit back down. Still, silence blankets the room.

I eat quickly, then look down. I look back up, then see both of them staring at me. As fast as possible, I look down, then stand up. I wash my hands, then tuck them in my pockets.

"Um... You know what? I think... I think I'm going to go..." I say, walking to the door.

"Wait, son." My father says.

"Yeah?" I say quietly.

"Don't talk to Brent on your way there..." He hisses.

"Yes, sir..." I reply reluctantly.

"Okay, then be on your way." He growls.

I open up the door, close it behind me, and run all the way to Brent's house. Man, how I hate my dad... Maybe things would be better if I just... Died. I shake my head, then ring the doorbell a bunch of times. Brent swings the door open, and tackles me into a hug. He smiles, and then helps me up.

"Your parents let you come to pick me up?" Brent says.

"Of course not... They're still the same." I huff, holding his hand and beginning to walk down to the Square.

"Why can't they ever accept you? When I told my parents I was bisexual they didn't even care." Brent frowns.

"Because they're stupid..." I mutter, shaking my head as we're checked in.

We ignore the stares, which are common at school, and then blend into the twelve and thirteen year old crowd.

"Even my brother didn't care." He says, watching as the District Representative walks across the stage.

"I know, but... But my parents are different." I reply.

"Yeah..." Brent trails off quietly as the actual Reapings begin.

"Alecta Cotts!" The Representative says.

She's a tall girl with brown hair and an actual tolerance for this. She walks on stage as if nothing has happened. I sigh, then shake my head. The Games are so stupid...

"Michael Oakley!" The Representative yells.

My head is spinning, and I blink hard. I feel like everything is going wrong, and I feel a mixture of hatred against my father. For everything he's said. I release Brent's hand, then run into the isle.

"I volunteer as Tribute!" I yell as loud as I can.


	12. District 12 Reaping

**You guys ready for District Twelve?! It's the final District! To me, that went by pretty fast... Yeah? Maybe. :3 Anyway, read, review(And get three points), and tell us your thoughts on the Tributes! :D Who's your favorite? Why? Enjoy! ~Squintz**

_DISTRICT 12 REAPING_

**Anali Blaise -**

I wake up to the sound of my youngest sister, Siri, screaming and crying at the top of her lungs. She's had nightmares since she turned two, and it's been two years since then. I sweep the sheets over my legs, then walk out of my room, down the hall, and into Siri's room. I scoop her out of bed, and then sit down on the edge of the bed with her in my lap.

"It was only a dream, don't worry... It's pretend..." I say.

My younger sister, Kyli, opens up the door, rubbing her eyes. "Why is she crying, now?"

Even at 15 Kyli was obnoxious and lazy. She sometimes acted like she was 7 years old. Sometimes selfish, only wanting things revolving around her, and always a bit cold.

"Just a nightmare, go back to bed." I say.

"No, 'cause now Alli's awake and she's gonna annoy me." Kyli whines.

"Then go help Mom with breakfast!" I exclaim.

My only older sister, Sabine, walks into the room.

"Could you guys be any louder?" She asks, brushing her long, brown hair over her shoulders.

"Sorry, we're like, the loud parade right now." Kyli laughs, pushing Sabine aside as she walks from Siri's room.

"Why don't we all just have a damn party?" Sabine scoffs, rolling her eyes.

Great. Now Sabine will be cranky all day because she didn't sleep until 10 o'clock. I roll my eyes back at her, and Siri squirms on my lap, trying to run downstairs for breakfast.

"Down!" She squeals.

"Alright, alright. Sorry." I laugh, putting her down.

She flees from the room, and Alli trudges down the hall.

"Why are we all up...?" She says sleepily, yawning loudly.

"Reaping day today, right?" Sabine asks.

"Yup." Alli frowns.

So, we are all eligible for Reaping. Sabine is 17, I'm 16, Kyli's 15, and Alli is 14. Siri is only 4, so basically, she has a long time before she's eligible.

"How many times did you tesserae this year?" I ask Sabine.

"31." She mutters, sitting beside me and looking at Siri's destroyed teddy bear.

"Oh, man..." I say quietly.

"How about you?" Sabine asks me.

I knit my brows, thinking about the amount of times my name has gone in with the added amount of tesseraes I'd taken. With four sisters, a mom, and two pigs to feed, we always had to take tesserae. Alli leans against the doorway, crossing her arms. That lucky girl had only tesseraed twice...

"23..." I nod.

"May the odds be ever in your favour," Sabine says in a Capitol accent, giving me a tight squeeze.

I laugh, and then give her a noogie.

"C'mon, little sisters." Sabine says, snatching me up and carrying me down the stairs as Alli follows.

We sit down at the table, watching as Kyli battles Siri into her high chair. I tilt my head.

"Need some help?" I ask.

"No! I can do it." She says in an annoyed voice, always wanting to be right.

"Alright, but when she-" I begin.

"Ow! She bit me!" Kyli shrieks.

This causes Sabine and Alli to bust out laughing, and then make Siri laugh. Siri slams her spoon against the tray of her high chair, laughing hysterically. My mother laughs in the kitchen, then walks over and hands Siri her sippy cup.

"No more biting, alright?" My mother says in her silky voice, ruffling Siri's curly brown hair.

"Okay." She squeaks, biting down on a piece of toast.

I pull a bagel off the plate in the center of the table, chewing it heartily.

"Where'd you get this?" I ask.

"You know Mabel, down the street?" She asks.

"The shop owner?" Alli pitches in.

"No, the pickle farmer." Kyli snorts.

"Shut up." Alli rolls her eyes.

"You shut up!" Kyli yells back.

"Girls!" My mom says, her voice still soft.

Alli, being hostile as she is, dives across the table and throws Kyli backwards in her chair. The two begin beating eachother relentlessly. The shrieks from hair pulling fill the room, and Sabine yanks Alli off of Kyli by the wrist. Alli goes to attack again, and Sabine accidentally lets go. I jump from my chair and snatch her up by the hair.

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Hair!" She squeals.

"I know." I say.

Siri squeals and laughs, pointing her little pink spoon at us.

"Knock it off." Sabine yells.

"Break it up." My mother says, separating all of us.

"We're going to be late..." She adds.

"Crap!" Sabine exclaims, dashing upstairs.

I follow after her, and then Alli follows me, and Kyli follows behind. Siri crawls up the stairs, and my mother begins on the dishes. I bolt for my room, swing open the door, and slam it behind me. I run to my closet, sliding across my rug and almost faceplanting into the wall. I grab the handle on the door, and then pull it open, taking out my favorite black dress. It reaches mid thigh, and it's a v-neck dress. It doesn't go _too_ low, though.

I take off my sweat pants, tank top, and socks, and pull on the dress. I walk into the bathroom, brush and straighten my long, brown hair, and then brush my teeth. I put on my black heels, and then walk downstairs. Sabine is already ready, standing with her hand on the doorknob.

"Come on, guys!" She yells.

Alli and Kyli come running downstairs, and Alli stumbles over her little white heels.

"Jeez, need some dress with that skin?" Sabine snickers to Kyli.

"Just, let's go..." Kyli blows out a breath as Sabine opens the door, and we begin to the Square.

My mother carries Siri behind us, walking casually along.

"Who do you think it'll be?" Alli asks.

"I don't know... Could be anyone." I say.

"Yeah, probably Sabine." Kyli laughs.

"That wasn't even funny..." Alli says, lifting a brow at her.

"Whatever." Kyli says, getting her blood drawn and then filing into the crowd with Alli.

I go with Sabine, and then look down at the dirt. Friends and siblings are all huddled together, praying that they won't get picked. I grab Sabine's hand, clenching it tight as the District Representative waltzes to the microphone.

"Welcome to the Reaping, District Twelve! Let's watch the quick video, then get to it, yeah?" He laughs.

The video plays, and Sabine and I are both looking at the floor, our hands linked together. I close my eyes, and then open them. I look ahead to see Alli and Kyli even have their hands twined together. I guess through all of that fighting and teasing they really do love eachother like sisters should.

"Okay then, lets pick our female Tribute..." He grins, walking to the bowl.

I feel Sabine's grip tighten, and see she's holding her breath.

"Anali Blaise!"

**Pyralis Kolton -**

"Keep it burning for a bit." Cutler says, standing behind me and watching as I hold the sword tip in the fire.

"Okay, now... Take it out." He demands.

I pull the sword from the open flame, and then press it against the metal spinning wheel beside the fire. The blade slowly sharpens, and the bright orange point begins to dull. I quickly switch the sides, making sure to get both sharpened. Cutler applauds me, and then I move the sword end to the anvil, and straighten it out with a small mallet.

I hold out the sword, and then smile at Cutler. "Finished."

"Fantastic job, Pyralis." He grins.

"I learned from the best." I chuckle, setting the sword on the weaponry table in the corner of the room.

"I suppose." Cutler laughs.

"So," I say, sitting down and taking a drink of water.

Cutler wipes his hands on his greasy, dirt covered black apron. He pulls it off, placing it on the hook. He sits down and pulls out his breakfast. A bacon sandwich of some sort.

"So." He echoes.

"What're your thoughts? On the Reapings?" I ask.

"Wow, you're like my ex wife... Always wanting to converse about something." He teases.

"Oh, whatever." I laugh.

"I think... I think that it's stupid for only Districts One, Two, and Four to volunteer... I mean, what makes us so... Different?" Cutler asks, taking a bite of his sandwich.

"I don't know... Maybe because we're Seam kids, they don't want us in there..." I shrug.

"So what if we're Seam people? When my brother got picked, people were still afraid of him... But he died in the final three." Cutler sighs, standing up and taking a sip from his thermos.

"I suppose..." I say, running my fingers over the dull blade of a pick axe.

"Hey, care if I sharpen this thing up?" I ask.

"Sure." Cutler nods.

I clean the blade, then use a sharpening blade along the surface of the pickaxe, and wrap some leather around the end of the paint chipped handle. I nod, then sharpen the blade again, making sure to point the edges perfectly. I pull out the polish on the top shelf above the cutlery table, and then begin to touch up the silver. The dull color changes to the vibrant, bright color. I pick it up, and then turn to Cutler and show him the weapon. He grins.

"You know what?" He asks.

"What?" I reply.

"You keep it... You fixed it... You keep it." Cutler nods.

"Sweet, thanks!" I smile.

"Oh, and here." Cutler chuckles, handing me my Reaping outfit.

"Thanks." I smile.

I run to the back bathroom, and change quickly. I look like a dork, all because I lost a bet with my friend Enya. She'd challenged me to a race, and I told her I'd win. I even bet on it. She won... So, now, I had to wear dress pants, and a button down shirt with suspenders and a red bow tie. I shake my head, then walk out to the workroom to get my new pick axe.

"Wow, uh..." Cutler snickers.

"I know..." I mutter.

"Lost a bet, didn't you?" He asks, handing me the pick axe.

"Yup. Anyway, see you after the Reaping." I chuckle, making my way out of the blacksmith shop.

"See you later." Cutler calls.

I walk down to the Square, swinging the axe around. I wonder what the other people will think of me carrying this thing around. I get checked in, receiving many stares. And a Peacekeeper actually escorts me into line. I tell them that I actually just came from work, and they give me dirty looks, standing beside me in the crowd. I sigh, and then watch as the District Representative walks across stage, shows the video, and picks a young girl named Anali Blaise. She looks to be about sixteen, only two years younger than me.

"Now, should we pick our male Tribute?" He laughs, then runs to the bowl.

He pulls out a name from the side of the bowl, walking back to the microphone. He picks off the tape, then unfolds it.

"Our male Tribute will be Pyralis Kolton!" He yells.


	13. The Goodbyes

**Goodbye time! Yes, I know they are a bit brief... But, it's because I had to write from TWENTY FOUR different POVS. So, you'd probably shorten them a bit, too. Next comes Train Rides, which will be girl, boy, girl, boy for each District. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and the ones to come :) Thank you for your support, and your kind reviews ^-^ Enjoy! ~Squintz B.T.W. I AM MISSING TWO ALLIES. If you don't send them in, I will gladly make one for you! But it wouldn't be as fun... AND ALSO, I actually cried while writing Carter's goodbyes... I felt so bad, and I just imagined being him, and being there with Lani. Not knowing where I was going... You know? I just... Cried xD And a good song to listen to while reading your goodbyes, is Broken by Amy Lee and Seether. It's really good :3 It makes the moment...**

_The Goodbyes -_

**District One:**

**Bay Rossey -**

I sit in a light blue leather chair, drumming my fingers on the arm. I smirk out the window, watching as the potentials for next year wander from the Square. I straighten out my skirt, brushing the wrinkles away. I hear some footsteps outside the enormous wooden doors, and then turn to look. The handle turns and Terry walks in. I blow out an annoyed sigh, shaking my head and standing up.

"Two minutes." The Peacekeeper says, slamming the door.

"So..." He says quietly.

"So." I echo.

"You're actually going..." He says in disbelief.

"I am... Yeah." I smile.

"Remember what I-" He starts.

"What you said. Yeah. I know." I scoff, rolling my eyes.

"You need to start taking it seriously. You're going into the Hunger Games, Bay... Does that make any sense to you?! Can you get that through your head?!" Terry begins to raise his voice.

"I got it, yeah." I hiss.

There's an unsettling silence that falls over the room, and Terry sits down in the chair across from mine. He looks out the window, shaking his head. I tilt my head, then speak up.

"What?" I ask.

"Just... All those other kids who could've been volunteers this year... And you snatched the opportunity, even though you'll probably get killed somewhere near the end." Terry mutters.

"You know-" I begin.

"Time's up." The Peacekeeper announces, snatching Terry up by the arm and practically dragging him from the room.

"Bye!" I yell.

"Goodbye, Bay!" He yells back.

**Hunter D'Agosto -**

I stand up tall, looking out the window. The Square is a ghost town, since people have fled to get back to crafting their luxury items. I sigh, chewing my bottom lip. What will Nick say to me? Will he hate me? I feel an overwhelming amount of nervousness crash over me, and then a wave of nausea. My knees lock, and I quickly hurry to the chair in the corner, sitting down and catching my breath. The door swings open, Nick and his parents walk in with sad smiles on their faces. But, I know his parents are grateful that I saved Nick from the Games this year.

"Oh, Hunt... Are you okay?" Nick's mother asks, taking my head in her palms.

"Yeah, I'm fine..." I laugh, slowly moving her hands away.

Nick's father gives me a bear hug, and I smile. Then Nick's mother, and Nick just looks out the window. I look down, and then Nick turns around.

"Can I have a word with him in private?" He asks darkly.

"Of course..." His parents say, leaving the room with hushed conversation between them.

The door closes, and then silence falls. Nick sucks in a breath, and then crosses his arms. I sit down again, and wipe at my nose. Nick's eyes are red, and he looks like he's been crying... Or he's just angry.

"What the hell?" He says.

"What?" I ask quietly.

"What are you trying to do to me?!" Nick hisses.

"Are you _trying_ to embarrass me?!" He yells.

"I-" I get cut off.

"No, just... Just stop. I don't know why you think that just because we're best friends, you think you can always be the hero. Why do you think that?! So, your parents were killed! Big freaking deal! Other people have it worse off than you, but still, you think you can always be the hero because you couldn't be when they got killed!" Nick explodes.

I feel tears building up behind my eyes, and I'm silent. Nick cools down, but the veins in his neck still remain visible.

"Why?" He suddenly asks, his tone lighter.

"Because..." I whisper.

"Why did you volunteer for me, Hunter?!" He asks.

"Because I..." I can't say it.

"Why? Tell me!" He yells.

I stand up, clenching my fists. "Because I love you!" I scream.

"Alright, let's go." The Peacekeeper says, pulling a dumbfounded Nick from the room.

**District Two:**

**Emiliana Vincere -**

Excitement rushes through my veins, and I can hardly stop moving. I pace the floor of the goodbye room eagerly. Adrenaline has already found its way into my heart, and I just can't believe I'm finally going into the Games. I'm going to the Capitol! The most famous place in Panem. I smile, then hear the door open, and I turn around. My mother, my grandma, and Panther come into the room.

"Oh, Emiliana... Why?" Gran Mama says, doing dramatic gestures with her hands.

"Because, I want to be famous. I want to become a Victor. A well known name in the Capitol," I explain, a smile still covering my face.

"But why this way?" Gran Mama whines.

"Just calm down, and let's just say our goodbyes..." My mother says, stroking Angel's fur.

Panther takes me into a rough hug, kissing my cheek. I smile at her, and she kneels down, holding my arms tight.

"You better win for me, Emiliana... Understand? Win for the girl that gave you the shiner. Fair trade?" Panther grins, shaking my hand.

"I'll do the best I can, of course." I reply.

"Emiliana... Please... Stay alive... For me." Gran Mama whimpers, hugging me tight.

I feel her warm, salty tears on my shoulder, and I caress the back of her hair. She trembles, and then looks at me with red eyes and a sad smile.

"I love you, Emi." She says shakily.

"I love you too, Gran Mama." I whisper, kissing her on the cheek.

Panther comforts my grandmother, and I walk towards my mom. Angel licks my nose, and my mother gives me a sad smile.

"Will we be training Panther again in a few weeks?" She asks.

"I hope so..." I say quietly.

"Good... I love you, sweetie." My mother says, giving me a tight hug.

"Okay folks, wrap it up. Let's go." The Peacekeeper demands, taking my family from the room, and then taking me to the train.

**Sterling Peeters -**

"We're finally going, sis..." I whisper, watching the door carefully, "We're going to the Capitol."

"You have two minutes." The Peacekeeper says, letting my mother in the room.

_Two _minutes? Man, these guys are strict in D2.

"Sterling, I-" My mom begins.

"No, mom. Just don't. Because you know what? We're just going to start fighting again. And that's not good." I hiss.

"Sterling, please... Let me talk to-" She starts up again.

"Mom! Drop it! Just say goodbye and get the hell out of here! I don't need you-"

"Sterling!" My mom screams at the top of her lungs.

I clench my fists angrily at my sides, then yell back. "What?!"

"Son, I love you... And if you can't see that, I'm sorry." She says quietly, her voice tiny.

"Well, then I guess you wasted your time coming here..." I say calmly, turning and staring out the window.

"I guess I did..." My mother sniffles, then turns.

I turn around, then tap on her shoulder. "Hm?" She asks.

"I love you, too." I say.

"Oh, Sterling..." She chokes up, giving me a tight hug.

I hold her for probably the last time in my life, and then the Peacekeeper opens up the door.

"Time to go!" He yells, dragging my crying mother out the door.

**District Three:**

**Neon Watts -**

I furiously wipe at the tears that refuse to stop running down my face. I sniffle, I tremble, and I shudder.

I know my life at home isn't good, and I don't get any attention... But, I'm going into the Hunger Games. I'd rather suffer at home, living my regular life, rather than die in the Games. I can't believe my only sister didn't even volunteer for me. She probably went: 'Oh, Neon Watts? Who's that? My long lost cousin?'

I sigh, then turn to the door. In walks my mother and father, and I'm surprised they even remembered that _I_ got picked for the Reaping. My mother opens her arms, and I give her a quick, awkward hug. Then, my father gives me an awkward hug as well, and I sit there in silence.

Ali and Ti come in, a sad smile plastered to both of their faces. I'm sure they're fake, though... Like how my whole family pretends to notice me. Ti gives me a tight hug, and Ali leans down to talk to me.

"Neon, look... I think you can win this. You're smart, and you're small enough to sneak around... You can do it." She smiles, her perfect teeth and her perfect face working in unison to form that perfect smile.

I start breaking down again, crying really hard as Ali hugs me. I sob into her shoulder, shaking and wincing as thoughts over come me. How many ways can I die? Who will find me first? Will I even make it past the bloodbath? I collapse against my sister, crying like I'm going to die right now.

"Hey, hey... It's okay, alright?" She whispers, leaning down again.

"You're going to be fine. I swear. Make a good ally... Alright?" She says coolly.

"But I-" I actually speak, but a Peacekeeper opens up the door.

"Let's get going, people." He says, ushering my family out and coming back for me.

**Reuben Wires -**

I peek out the door of the Justice Building, and look around. Where is Rae?! I begin to panic, and a Peacekeeper slams the door in my face. I frown, then turn around and glare out the window. Somewhere next to me I can hear the girl Tribute screaming for somebody in her goodbye room. I look down, then turn around as the door swings open.

Rae runs in, and I slam into her, giving her an enormous hug. She cries into my shoulder, and I stay strong, stroking her soft, brown hair. She shudders, and I keep calming her, comforting her.

"You're okay... Shh..." I whisper.

"I'm not... You're not... You're going." She says, pulling away and looking at me with teary eyes and blotchy, red skin on her face.

"No, I'm fine... Look, we got out of the bakery alive, right?" I say, running my hands down her arms to hold her hands.

"Yeah," She can't help but giggle at the memory, her smile making me laugh.

I brush my thumb and palm along her cheek, and she smiles sadly.

"You won't leave me?" She asks quietly, sounding like a sad little girl.

"I wouldn't think of it, Rae. You're crazy," I laugh, shaking my head.

"So... You'll come back?" She murmurs.

"I'll try so hard... So hard, Rae... I will, I promise." I say, pressing my forehead to her's.

"I'll be watching..." She says.

"Good..." I smile, giving her a peck on the lips.

"Okay, time's up." The Peacekeeper says, bursting through the door.

"I'll be okay!" I call to Rae.

"Reuben!" I hear her muffled cry through the door, and then I'm being lead to the train.

**District Four:**

**Lotsear Maver -**

I had already had my emotional goodbyes with my father, mother, and my sister. I was just waiting for Kalliroe. I clench the end of the couch, waiting eagerly. Where was she? Was she coming? Just then, the door bursts open. Kalli runs to me, and tears me into a hug. She cries something fierce, and then I break down as well.

"Why?" She whimpers, sniffling uncontrollably.

"Because... I couldn't let you go..." I whisper, giving her a tender kiss.

"You could've." She says, pulling back from me and crying even harder.

"No... I couldn't have." I say, wiping at her eyes.

"Why not?" She asks, shaking her head.

"I love you too much, you're my Kalli..." I murmur, hugging her again.

All I want is to hold her tight, keep her safe from all that's happening. Though it's no use. She'll probably watch me die sometime in the Games.

"But how will you come back?" She asks.

"I just will... I'm from District Four... We have some experience, remember?" I remind her, kissing her cheek.

"But... But it's the Hunger Games..." She whispers.

"I know, and I'll find a way." I smile sadly, brushing the tears from her cheeks.

"I'll be okay. Will you?" I ask her.

"I'll try to be okay." She says quietly.

"Let's go." The Peacekeeper practically yells, snatching Kalliroe by the arm.

"No! Don't go!" Kalli yells.

"It's okay, Kalli! I'll be back!" I scream, reaching for her as I'm taken in an opposite direction by another Peacekeeper.

**Kai Drave -**

I can hear the screams of my sister and Lotsear down the hall, and I shake my head. Kalli didn't cry that hard when I said my goodbyes to her. But my parents sure did. I sigh, then turn to the door. Agua stands there, a few tears streaming her face. I smile sadly, then open my arms and walk towards her. She instantly falls into them, and I tighten my grip, giving her a big hug.

I hear her muffled crying, and I wrap my arms around her waist. Her whole body is shaking, and I can't do anything but try and calm her down.

"I'm okay, I'm going to be okay, Agua." I say quietly.

"But I don't want to be without you... Who else will I talk to?" She asks, lightly chuckling.

"I don't know... My picture?" I laugh, playing with her hair.

"Don't be silly..." She says.

"Come on, Agua... Don't be like that..." I say quietly, tilting my head.

"Kai, you can't go without me..." She frowns.

"I can, because I'll come back..." I reply.

"What about Lotsear, though?" She asks.

Oh, I almost forgot... Lotsear... Kalli would be crushed if I let her get killed.

"I'll just ally with her and see where it goes..." I nod, looking at the floor.

"Be careful, though, okay?" She says.

"Of course." I reply.

"Let's go, kids." The Peacekeeper snarls, tearing Agua from my embrace.

"I'll see you in five weeks, okay?!" I shout.

**District Five:**

**Talon Kotka -**

The door swings open behind me, and I whip around. Lisa, Colton, and James come bursting into the room. Lisa cries, and I scoop her up into a tight hug. She trembles in my arms, and I rock her back and forth gently. She cries so hard, she begins to cough, and I set her down. She clings to my leg, though.

"It's okay, Lisa... Shh... You'll be okay. Colton can take care of you." I say, diverting my eyes to Colton.

His eyes widen, and he cocks his head. I scowl at him, and he holds up his hands and nods. James wheels over, coming to a quick stop next to me. Colton looks down at him, shrugging. I shuffle over to Colton, Lisa still clinging to my leg like a leech.

"Look, Colton... You have to be in charge, now. Okay? You have to take care of Lisa and James, and get food..." I explain to him, watching him slowly nod.

"Does that mean I have to tesserae?" He mutters.

"I... I don't know... Maybe..." I whisper.

The color drains from his face, and he looks down. A single teardrop falls on the floor, and then he looks up at me. His entire face pale. Almost completely white.

"O-Okay... I understand..." He whispers back.

"Colton, please... Just be strong... For me... For James... For Lisa." I say, gesturing down to the little girl that holds on to my leg for dear life.

"Don't go, don't go, don't go..." She cries, shaking her head.

"I... Lisa... Lisa... Come on." I say quietly, nudging her away.

"No! You can't go! Not like mommy and daddy!" She screams, shaking her head.

"James, please... Try and take care of them... And, go say goodbye to Alister, I'll stick with Lisa." I murmur.

"Alright." The boys say, leaving the room.

"Lisa..." I begin.

She shakes her head some more, scratching at my arms.

"Please don't go, don't go... You can't leave... I love you, Talon..." She whimpers, squirming as I pull her off of my leg.

"No! Put me down! Put me down!" She squeaks.

"You promise you'll be good?" I ask.

"As long as you promise to come back..." She says in a small voice, holding out her pinkies.

I lock pinkies with her, and then a Peacekeeper enters the room.

"Time to go." He says, grabbing Lisa and carrying her out.

"No! No! Talon!" She screams, fitting on the Peacekeeper's shoulder.

"I promise I'll be back, Lisa! Don't worry!"

**Alister Rain -**

James and Colton come through the door, smiling sadly at me. I nod my head, then sit down. James rolls over, high fiving me.

"Talon doing okay?" I ask.

James shrugs.

"Lisa won't let go, huh?"

"Of course she won't." Colton laughs.

"You know how she gets." James adds.

Then, there's a loud screaming and I hear the Peacekeepers yelling. I sigh, then turn to James.

"I'll go get her..." He says, rolling out of the room in his chair.

Colton sits down in the chair across from me, and then he looks up at me.

"I gotta take care of them, now... You know?" He asks.

"Yeah, I know..." I sigh.

"I'm sorry." I add in a murmur, patting his knee.

"It's fine, dude... I just... I don't know how you and Talon do it." He frowns.

"You'll be okay, Colton. You're a tough guy." I say, hearing more screams from the hall of the Justice Building.

"No, I'm not. I don't know how to look after people! I can't even hunt like Talon can!" Colton explodes, putting his head in his palms.

"I know, it's okay... You'll learn. It's a process. Me and Talon have been raising you and ourselves for a long time." I assure him, nodding slowly.

"But... But how can I-" Colton's cut off by a Peacekeeper busting the door open and snatching him up by the arm.

"Time to go home, kiddo." He says, dragging Colton out of the room.

"Bye, Alister!" He yells.

**District Six:**

**Waverly Mendez -**

Devin comes rushing through the door, instantly pulling me into a hug after Vivien and Grace Ann leave the room. Paisley, Nora, and Jonah follow after him, sad smiles on their faces. Devin pulls away, cupping my face with his hands.

"Oh, Waverly... You're going away!" He says, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"I-I know..." I say quietly, looking at the floor in disbelief.

"Waverly, are you going to be okay?" Paisley asks, tilting her head.

"Yeah... Yeah I'll be fine... I just... What happened?" I ask.

"You volunteered for Grace Ann, because you didn't want anyone you know to get picked." Jonah says.

"O-Oh..." I say, looking down at the floor.

I look back up, scratching my forehead.

"Well, I won't let anybody deceive me... I can do this." I exclaim, nodding my head and crossing my arms.

"That's right, District Six!" Nora whoops, and then Devin begins to cry even harder.

"Who am I going to talk fashion with?!" He cries out.

"Vivien?" Paisley snickers.

"That was the worst joke I ever even heard, Paisley." Jonah says, cocking an eyebrow at Paisley.

"Oh, well... You could always help Nora! She's a fashion flunk." Paisley grins at Nora.

"What?!" Nora says.

"Um, hello! I'm going to the Hunger Games, people!" I exclaim.

"Oh, right..." Jonah chuckles, shrugging her shoulders.

"You'll come back, right? Or at least try?" Devin asks.

"I'll try, really, I will." I say, watching the Peacekeeper open up the door.

"Get out, let's go." He says, shoving my friends out the door.

**Carter Woods -**

My father had not come to say goodbye. He had stayed home... He had not even come up to the Justice Building. He walked home, and went right back to the couch. Probably opened up a bottle of vodka, and then passed himself out. But Lani had come, and she had instantly taken hold of my waist in a bear hug.

"Why are you leaving me with Daddy?!" She cries, the floodgates behind her eyes had let loose, and they didn't seem like stopping any time soon.

"I'm sorry, Lani... I'm sorry..." I whisper, stroking her thin hair.

She sobs, her face pressed into me. I sigh, holding her tight. She shakes and cries and lets everything loose, and Goldfish even lets out a couple sad croaks. Lani pulls Goldfish from her pocket, and holds him out for me to see.

"G-Goldfish wants to say goodbye... And that he loves you." She sniffles, wiping at her nose with her other hand.

"Goodbye, Goldfish... Tell Lani that I'll see her really soon, and that I'll come back with lots of nice things. And that we can move away from Daddy, and we'll never have to see him again..." I say, petting the top of the frog's head.

He croaks, and then hops back down to Lani's arm. She slides him back in her dress pocket, and then gives me another hug.

"Is Goldfish being truthful? Are you really coming home?" Lani asks, letting me remove her tears with my thumb.

"I am... I really am coming back... I promise you, Lani... I wouldn't miss it for the world." I say.

"Where are you going?" She asks.

"I... I don't really know, Lani..." I say quietly.

"Okay... Well when you get back from Idon'tknow, can you help me find Telly?" She asks.

Telly was her long missing teddy bear, and we'd been looking forever.

"Of course I will..." I smile, giving her another hug and feeling a single tear roll down to my chin.

"I love you so much..." I whisper.

"I love you, too... Carter." She murmurs.

"Okay, time's all up." A Peacekeeper says, pulling Lani from the room.

What surprises me most... Is that she doesn't make a sound...

**District Seven:**

**Jade Arctics -**

"So you're going?" Jasmine asks.

"I guess so." I mutter, scuffing my shoe toe along the wooden floor of the goodbye room.

"Do you even _know_ how bad I wanted to volunteer for you?" Jasmine hisses.

"Uh, no..." I say quietly.

"Uh, no." Jasmine impersonates me, her voice high and squeaky when she does.

"Jasmine, can you please just not?" I ask.

"Oh, my god... Just... I'm out of here." Jasmine says, swinging the door open and letting Valerie in.

I only have a minute with her, since Jasmine wasted my time. And I give her a tight squeeze, then a sad smile.

"If anybody at school tries to make fun of you, tell them I'll kick them where the sun doesn't shine when I get back..." I smile at her, and she gives me another hug.

"You're my only friend, so if you don't come back, I'll kick you where the sun doesn't shine." She laughs, then pulls away.

"Please, try..." She whispers.

"Of course I will. You know I will, Valerie." I say, thinking this may be the most I've ever spoken in my life.

"I know... I'm just reminding you." She smiles, pushing her glasses up.

"I'll see you in a few weeks, then?" I grin.

"You know it." Valerie replies, giving me one last hug, and then being ushered out by a Peacekeeper.

**Douglas Hilgenbrinck -**

I turn to the sound of a doorknob turning, my senses sharp. In walks Viktor, with Thomas in his arms. The bunny sniffs the air, and then he sets Thomas on the couch. Viktor gives me a weak hug, and then smiles. His face looks more pale then ever, and I scoop up Thomas, and let Viktor sit, then place the rabbit on his lap. I sit down as well, crossing my legs.

"Are you going to be okay?" I ask.

"I sure hope so, Dane." He says weakly.

"Don't say hope... Say... 'I will be fantastic, Dane.'" I chuckle, patting his shoulder.

His eyes are red, and he looks up at me. All the life seems drained from him. And I can understand why, because I'm the only one who takes care of this dying boy, and now he's alone.

"Why didn't I volunteer?" He mutters.

"Don't say that, Viktor." I frown.

"I should've, and you know it! I'm going to die soon, anyway! So why not now? Why don't I just switch with you, to ensure my own death instead of _waiting_ and _suffering_ every single day!" Viktor exclaims, his face turning red and a vein popping from his neck.

"Viktor, shhh..." I say, watching him break down in tears.

"I'm going to die alone, and you won't be there..." He says shakily, shaking his head.

"No, you aren't. I'm going to make sure you don't. I promise." I murmur.

"I don't want to be alone..." He whispers, the tears landing on his lap.

Thomas glances to me, then moves around on Viktor's lap, scurrying to the one spot near his knees where tears aren't showering him.

"You won't be alone... You have Thomas. And I'll be back, okay?" I ask, standing up and placing Thomas in Viktor's arms, and then giving him a hug.

"Please..." He says in a tiny voice as the Peacekeeper comes and sweeps him from the room.

"Don't let me die alone, Dane!" He cries from the hall.

**District Eight:**

**Cordelia Bonnell -**

I was surprised... My father actually came to say goodbye, but only hugged me, and then left. He didn't cry, he didn't seem sad, and he just looked... Neutral. Then, I knew the teary showers would come once Diane burst through the door, holding her puppy, Squeezy. The look on her face broke my heart, and it completely snapped in two when she began talking.

"You're leaving me! Why? Why are you leaving?! Daddy will kill Squeezy, and I'll have nobody anymore!" She cries, burying her face in Squeezy's pelt.

I gently remove her face from the puppy's fur, and then stroke her loose hair.

"I will do everything I can to make sure I get home... And I want you to stay at Calico's sister's house, okay? When you get home, pack up your things, and take Squeezy with you... Run all the way to the shop, tell Calico I sent you. And she'll take you to her sister's house... Alright?" I whisper, trying to keep calm.

"Okay... But what if she doesn't like me?" She asks.

"Who couldn't like you? You're Diane." I smile, getting a little giggle out of her as well.

I was being honest. She was a sweetheart, she was adorable, and she was reliable. She wasn't a tattletale, like most little girls. And she understood a lot you told her. For one thing: She wasn't stupid.

"Cordelia... When will you be back?" Diane asks.

"Very soon, I promise... It will just be a few weeks, and then you'll be with me again." I say quietly, stroking her cheek.

I wipe at the tears that begin to form again, and Squeezy yips and nips at my fingers. I let him chew away, and Diane pulls me into another hug.

"Please don't leave me alone..." She says.

"I won't, I promise... I promise, Diane. I will come home. I _will_ come home..." I assure her, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Make sure it's fast... I'll watch you..." She whimpers.

"No... Don't watch me." I say quietly.

"No! I'm going to!" She yells as a Peacekeeper enters the room.

"It's time." He says, taking Diane from the room.

"Come back! Come back! Come back!" Diane cries out, reaching for me.

"I will!" I yell.

**Toro Breckenridge -**

My father walks in the room, a frown on his always smiley face. He sits me down, then takes a deep breath. I lean forward and tilt my head, waiting for something to come out of his mouth.

"You know, Toro..." He begins.

"Life..." He trails off, searching for words.

"Life is like a box of chocolates..." He says.

"A box of chocolates?" I ask.

"A box of chocolates." He echoes.

"How?" I reply, lifting an eyebrow.

"Life is like a box of chocolates, because-" He starts again.

"Because it's short?" I ask.

"Let me finish!" He exclaims, throwing his arms up in the air.

I feel my cheeks turn rose red, and I nod my head.

"Life is like a box of chocolates... Because it doesn't last very long for fat people." He blurts out.

I cock my head, then knit my eyebrows. Wait... What did he just say? Is this his idea of life advice?

"It's like... Short for fat people?" I ask.

"Exactly, son... Now, when you're in that Arena... And there's a fat kid... Give them your chocolate... Not your life." He says randomly, nodding his head.

"I-I don't understand..." I say, scratching my nose.

"Son, there's a lot you don't understand yet... Before I go, should we have 'The Talk'?" He asks.

I feel my face get burnt red, and then I stand up. Is he really this clueless? How is this man my father?

"No, dad! It's fine! I have school for that." I say.

A Peacekeeper bursts through the door, taking my dad away. The last thing I hear him say is:

"I love you, son. Remember that, too!"

**District Nine:**

**Alex Fahey -**

I had said some emotional goodbyes to Jillian and to my family, but there was one last person I _had_ to see before I left._ He'll be in here, soon..._ I try and assure myself, and then the door slips open. I run into Ryan's arms, and he swings me into a hug. I bury my face in the crook of his neck, wrapping my arms around him as if I'm holding onto him for my life. He releases me, then brushes his hands down my arms.

"How'd you find out?" I whimper.

"Jillian booked it to the fields and stood in front of the plow until I finally stopped... She told me..." Ryan says, sitting down.

I sit down across from him, smiling sadly. He leans forward and wipes my tears, then frowns.

"Are you going to be okay?" He asks me.

"I think so... I have Victor's blood in me, right?" I say quietly.

"I think you'll do great." He replies.

"Yeah, that word... Think... It's the death of me," I chuckle halfheartedly, nodding my head.

"Alright, then what if I say... I know you'll do great." Ryan smiles, taking my hand and standing up.

"That sounds better." I smile, giving him another hug.

"Oh, and by the way, Alex..." Ryan laughs shyly, then reaches into his pocket.

"Hold out your wrist." He says,pulling his hand out with something closed inside.

"Alright." I say, putting my wrist out to him.

He opens his hand, revealing a thick, black, leather bracelet. He puts it around my wrist, and then clicks it into place. He lets go of my hand, then laughs.

"I made it. It'll bring you good luck," He says.

"Thank you so much..." I say, feeling myself tear up as I pull him into an enormous hug.

"Remember me." I whisper as a Peacekeeper comes in and tears Ryan from me.

"I promise!" He yells back.

**Cyan Akins -**

I grin to myself as Peacekeepers line the walls of the goodbye room. I can't believe they actually decided to stick around and make sure I don't hurt anyone else. I turn around, the door opening slowly. My little sister walks in with my father, cowering behind his leg.

I roll my eyes, then cross my arms. "What do you want?"

"We're here to say goodbye." My father says.

"Well, make it quick. I got a Capitol to get to..." I smirk.

"What happened to you, Cyan?" My father asks.

"Uh, I got into a fight with this kid down at the Reaping." I snicker.

"No... I mean, what happened to you that made you so cold?" He asks.

What? Why would my own father say that?! I knit my eyebrows, chewing the inside of my cheek.

"What're you talking about?" I hiss.

"When did you end, Cyan? When did you break?" He replies.

"When _that_ came along..." I say, pointing a finger at Marina.

"It's not her fault, Cyan..." My father says calmly.

"Yes it is! And you know it! As soon as she came along, life was never the same! Mom is gone, and it's her fault!" I accuse.

"Knock it the hell off, Cyan! It wasn't her fault!" My father yells back at me.

"I hate you!" I scream, running at him and delivering a slap to his face.

The Peacekeepers charge at me again, and then I see a Peacekeeper raise his arm, and then I'm blacked out.

**District Ten:**

**Bandit Lee Highland -**

My little sister specifically requested I get a goodbye in private with her. She hadn't been over yet, and I'd already said my goodbyes with Louis and Flynt. So where could she be? Maybe talking to somebody in the Justice Building. She's weird like that...

But then the door swings open, and she comes running at me. She hugs me tight, and then pulls away.

"Who's going to help me train Cecily, now?" She whimpers.

"I promise, when I come back, I'll help you train her." I assure her.

"Every day?" Dale asks, wiping at her eyes.

"Every day." I reply.

"Until she's good?" Dale says quietly.

"Until she's fantastic." I say.

"You have to promise..." She whispers.

"Promise what?" I ask.

"Promise that you'll come back." Dale says, then adds: "Then I'll be the only girl left, besides mom..."

"Don't worry, Dale. I'll be back." I murmur.

"You better." She giggles, wiping at her eyes again.

"Okay, let's get going." The Peacekeeper says in annoyance, leading Dale out.

**Matthew Juliann -**

I had finished goodbyes with practically everybody in my family... All except for Kilo. My older brother. He opens up the door, coming in with his wheelchair. He rolls over to me, and I sit down in a chair. He slides to a stop, then reaches into his shirt pocket.

"For good luck... It's mom's..." Kilo says, handing me a necklace.

It's got a thin, leather rope and a silver eagle on the end. I take it in my hand, and then put it around my neck, tucking it safely under my shirt collar. I smile sadly, the nod.

"Thank you..." I murmur.

"So, you think you'll be okay?" He asks quietly.

"I think I can get pretty far, maybe..." I reply.

"If you try." Kilo adds in a whisper.

"If. That word. It kills. _If_ I try. You mean, _when_ I try." I say quietly.

"Yeah, sorry..." Kilo nods.

"So, when you come back... Do I get the necklace back?" Kilo tries to lighten the air, managing a quiet chuckle.

"Probably." I say, my voice still full of seriousness.

"You-" Kilo begins.

"Okay, time's up. Time to go, kiddo." The Peacekeeper says, grabbing the handles of Kilo's wheelchair and beginning to wheel him out.

"Wait!" I say, running and giving Kilo a hug.

"Keep them safe." I add as he's wheeled off.

**District Eleven:**

**Alecta Cotts -**

I sit in the goodbye room, waiting for _someone_ to come in besides my mother... And father. He'd come in earlier, but he was ushered out as soon as his yelling kicked in. I doubt anyone is coming, though... I mean, people hardly know me. To them, I'm invisible. But to my surprise, the door creaks open. And in walks the red headed boy from seventh grade.

"Hey, Alecta... Right?" He asks, his voice far more mature than the last time I'd seen him.

"Yeah, but to you I'm Cotts... Or rock." I say, turning and looking out the window as people flee from the District Eleven Square.

"And... I'm sorry... Just, look, Alecta. Please hear me out..." The boy says.

"First, I wanna know your name." I say, whipping around.

"You ruined my life, pretty much. Terrorized me for no reason... And I don't even know your first name." I say.

"Todd." He says.

"Alright, resume." I say quietly, turning back to the window.

"I-I'm sorry for being such a jerk... I just wanted to impress my friends... And, you know... It's like-" I cut him off before he can finish.

"It's like you have to pick on the people who aren't noticed to feel noticed." I say, shaking my head.

"Y-Yeah... How'd you know?" He asks.

"My father's given me my fair share of beatings, Todd." I reply.

"Look, I'm really sorry, Alecta... Please, just... Just know that I think you're really brave... Going into the Games without fear." Todd says, turning as a Peacekeeper enters the room.

"It's alright." I mutter, hearing the door shut right after I finish speaking.

**Marius Steel -**

The door slams against the wall as Brent looks at me, his eyes full of tears. He bites his bottom lip, and his chin trembles. I open my arms, and he runs at me, instantly caving into me. I hug him tight, telling him it'll all be okay, and running my hands along his back to calm him down. He shakes violently, sniffling and crying.

"I'll never let you go..." He whispers, crying after he speaks.

"You have to..." I say quietly.

"I won't!" Brent squeaks out.

"Brent, please... Listen to me... You'll be okay... I'm going to try so hard to come back to you..." I say, holding his hands.

"Why?! Your parents hate you for it!" He yells, collapsing against me.

I catch him quickly, and then hold him up.

"Please, Brent... Trust me..." I whisper.

"I do, but... But, you can't go... You're the only good thing I have left..." Brent says, loneliness evident in his pathetic voice.

"I promise you, Brent. I'll be back home... Alright?" I vow.

"O-Okay..." He says, taking a shaky deep breath.

"Do you still love me?" I ask, looking him in the eyes.

"Of course, and I'll love you even more when you come home..." Brent giggles, his cheeks turning light pink as he pulls me into another tight hug.

"I'll see you soon, Brent!" I call as a Peacekeeper removes him from my arms.

**District Twelve:**

**Anali Blaise -**

"Anali!" Siri squeals, running in and snatching up my arm.

I pull her up, resting her on my hip and giving her a long hug. Sabine, Kyli, and Alli walk in after my mother. They all wear sad smiles, and Kyli hands me a small, purple flower.

"Siri wants you to have this... She found it outside." She informs me, quietly.

"It's beautiful." I say, putting the flower behind Siri's ear, "But I want you to have it."

"Then I want you to have this..." Sabine says, pulling a necklace from around her neck.

It's got a silver chain, and it has a little circle at the end. Engraved, it has all the initials of my sisters and I. I smile, then feel myself getting teared up. I set Siri down, tugging Sabine into a long, painful hug. Sabine whimpers into my ear, crying and shaking her head.

"Sabine, please... Calm down... It's all okay." I whisper.

"You're going..." Is all Alli can whisper over and over.

"Please don't go, 'Nali! Please don't go!" Siri cries, shaking her head.

"Oh, honey... I wish I could stay..." I say quietly, tugging Siri up again and kissing her forehead.

Sabine takes her as I hug my mother tight. My mother smiles sadly, brushing back my loose hair.

"I love you, Anali..." She says.

"I love you, too..." I reply, getting a kiss on the cheek from my mother.

"No! No! Don't go, 'Nali! Don't go!" Is the last thing I hear as my family is forced from the goodbye room.

**Pyralis Kolton -**

I run my fingers over the delicate, smooth surface on the pickaxe. It was beautiful. The best work I'd ever done... And maybe it would be of some worth in the Arena. I smile, then set the pickaxe on the floor. Cutler walks in, tugging me into a hug by the neck. I laugh sadly, and he hugs me so tight, I feel like my eyes will pop from my head.

"I better see you soon, boy..." Cutler says quietly.

"I sure hope so, too..." I reply.

"Who else will help me at the shop?" Cutler asks.

"I don't know... Maybe you can hire somebody else?" I murmur.

"No, nobody else does the jobs like you." Cutler chuckles.

Unsettling silence falls over the room.

"Are you using the pickaxe?" He asks.

"In the Games?"

"Yeah..." I reply, nodding my head.

"Good... You can do good with it..." Cutler reminds me.

"You think so?" I ask.

"I _know_ so, Pyralis." He replies.

"So, then I guess I'll be seeing you soon, yeah?" I smile at him.

"You guess?" Cutler laughs.

"No! I _know_," I impersonate Cutler, chuckling and then giving him another hug.

"You're like a son to me, Pyralis... So make me proud." Cutler says as he's tugged from the room.


	14. Train Rides: Day One

**Okay, train rides! Remember how I said, it will be: Girl, boy, girl, boy for each District? Well, I decided, since it takes me a long time to write from so many POVS, I'm just going to go up to District 6 for this one. And then up to 12 in the next one. But, still, you'll get the POVS. And they'll be switched once the Tributes enter the Capitol! So, enjoy! :D They may be a bit short, sorry ^-^" ~Squintz P.S. Carter's is short, yeah, because it's right before he falls asleep.**

_Day One of the Train Rides -_

**District One's Bay Rossey -**

I cross my legs, looking out the window as the train begins its way to the Capitol. The District One people who stuck around by the train to cheer and wave are doing just that, and I just roll my eyes. The District Representative smiles at us, then holds out her hand to Hunter, and they shake. She holds out her hand to me, and I shake it once, then fold my arms.

"I'm Coral. Coral Kline." She beams.

"I'm Hunter. But, I go by Hunt." Hunt says in a bit of a quiet voice, nodding his head.

"I'm Bay. Just call me Bay." I say, turning away and glancing out the window again.

The train picks up speed, and then there's a silence in the entire room. The cart shakes a bit as the train steadies out at one specific speed, and then Coral stands up, brushing off her hideous skirt.

"I'm going to go get the mentor! I'm sure you'll be excited to meet her!" Coral says, doing a pigeon toed walk from the cart.

The automatic doors slip open, and she walks through them. The room is silent, and all you can hear is the gentle shudder of the furniture in the train as it moves along. I blow out an annoyed sigh, then glance over to Hunter. He's looking down at the floor, shuffling his feet and looking uneasy. He chews his bottom lip, and I knit my brows, then speak up.

"So, why'd you volunteer for that kid? He looked pretty happy." I say, scratching at the little white ring on my finger.

"We all have our reasons, right?" He says quietly.

"Yeah, which is why I asked you." I retort.

"Why do you have such a bad attitude?" He asks.

"There's already a question on the table." I reply.

"I volunteered because I didn't want him in the Games." Hunt sighs.

"Why?" I ask.

"Because... I just... Want him to be safe." He says with annoyance.

"Oh, well... He could probably fend for himself if you let him." I shrug, "He looked pretty damn scary... And hot..." I giggle.

Hunt shoots me a death glare, and then the automatic doors slide open. Coral walks in with the mentor following her. The mentor has long, blonde hair and bright blue eyes. She's got two enormous scars running down her arms, and she looks like she doesn't bother to hide them, since she's wearing a short, pink sundress. Hunt stands up, shaking her hand.

"I'm Beryl, and you are?" She asks him.

"I'm Hunter D'Agosto... But, I go by Hunt." He replies.

Beryl clears her throat, glancing at me. I blow out a careless sigh, then stand up and shake her hand lazily.

"And I'm Bay Rossey." I groan.

"Okay, Bad Attitude. Bay your full name?" She asks.

"Uh, yeah." I say, giving her an indifferent look.

"Uh, okay." She snorts, rolling her eyes and sitting down in the chair across from Hunt and I.

"So, special skills for you two? Anything you're good with?" She asks, crossing her thin, tanned legs.

"Well, I-" Hunt begins.

"I'm really good with a rapier sword, or any type of sharp sword." I beam, brushing some curly, brown hair behind my shoulder.

"Okay, Bad Attitude... And how about you, Blondie?" She asks Hunt.

"I'm good with-" I cut him off again.

"Are the nicknames going to be a permanent thing?" I hiss.

"Let the boy talk!" Beryl says in a louder, frustrated voice.

"Like I was _saying_..." Hunt growls, "I'm good with a mace..."

"A mace? Haven't seen one of those since my Games." The surprisingly young Victor, who looks to be at least 24, laughs.

"Yup." Hunt smiles.

"Hmm... I can work with you too, even though Bad Attitude here might be a bit of a challenge. But, with that behind us and done, who wants some lunch?" Beryl smiles.

**District Two's Sterling Peeters -**

"So, take a guess at how good you think the competition will be for this year..." Our mentor, Amita Mullur, says.

"Uh... Pretty good?" Emiliana replies, playing with her amazingly long hair.

"That's exactly what I thought during my Quell." Amita laughs, clicking the remote to the television.

The projector flicks on, putting a nice, clear image of the District One Square on the black tile wall. The Reapings for this District are interesting, and the girl, Bay, looks pretty lethal. She'd be a good addition to the team... The boy, Hunter, seems pretty weak, considering the fact he broke down and volunteered for his friend. But, he may be valuable. Then, we fast forward through District Two, and go on to District Three.

Everybody looks lost when the tiny, thin, pale girl is picked. And she wanders through the crowd to the stage. She won't last long... Then, the boy, who really looks sort of blank. He doesn't really have a reaction, but he seems super focused on somebody in the crowd. He looks to be pretty smart, sneaky, almost... Just from the way his looks appear. Thin, angled, and carved just right to look like something's suspicious...

District Four is another story. The girl volunteers for this scrawny, glasses-wearing girl. She has choppy, brown hair and two different colored eyes. She seems of some worth. Pretty tall, and some sort of muscular build. Maybe she could be another good addition to the Career pack. The boy looks a bit tough. He's tall, brawny, and muscular. He must be heavily involved in work down in his District.

District Five looks like two relatively close people. The girl and boy both act seemingly calm, and during the handshake look like they've known each other for a thousand years. But, a little girl is screaming in the crowd and crying, and it's a bit distracting. And although it's distracting, I can't help but feel like those two kids are going to be crying just as hard when I remove all the life from them... A smirk slips across my lips, and I continue to watch the rest of these pathetic Reapings...

District Six is alright, looking to be of some guts. The girl, Waverly Mendez, doesn't make a peep when called on stage. She could have some skill, for one thing she looks to be a bit smart... That could benefit us. The boy, Carter, looks like he could snap a neck with the flick of his wrist. His little sister cries in the crowd, and when he's ushered into the Justice Building, he's relevantly quiet. Strong and silent type, huh? Well, he'll probably scream like a pig when somebody kills him...

In District Seven, Jade Arctics looks of some worth. She's got muscular build in her arms, and she has the 'Don't mess with me or I'll tear your guts out and stuff them down your throat, then cook your lifeless carcass over a fire and eat you like a starving cannibal' sort of look on her face. One thing about her I instantly get, is that she's silent. She's sort of solid, too. Looking very sure of herself... The boy, Douglas, looks like he thinks he's a hotshot. Right off the top, I can tell he's some sort of heart throb in D7. But he's brawny, tough looking, and maybe, just maybe, he could help us out in the Arena... That is, if we needed help. Which won't be likely...

District Eight's Tributes are fairly interesting. The way that Cordelia smiles at the boy, Toro, is unmistakably painful. But the fact that I can't draw my eyes away from Toro's bright red face is even more painful. He looks like there's ants in his pants, or he peed himself in front of everyone... He's amazingly embarrassed at nothing in particular, and I don't doubt that he'll be blushing when he dies in the Arena.

Alex Fahey of District Nine is a bit sketchy for me. She has no initial reaction... She looks... Confused, even. But the boy, Cyan... He looks like he could kill a raging lion. He's covered in dirt and blood, and then you see the new interview man and his assistant laughing at the recap of Cyan beating up the boy.

"Now, see? That's the kind of threat you must look out for in the Arena!" He exclaims.

"Yes, he seems to have quite a temper!" The assistant chuckles.

District Ten is fairly plain, with a tall, blonde girl for their female Tribute. She seems witty and courageous. Perfect for devising a plan... Watch out for her... Then Matthew Juliann, who is muscular enough to probably lift up the female Tribute. He could be a nice addition, but he'd probably get killed in the final four, easy...

District Eleven actually appeals to me a bit, the girl looks like she could easily break a rib with a single kick. She's tall and slim, which will be an advantage in the Arena. Then, the boy, who looks like he'll get killed in the bloodbath... He's small, so he could probably sneak around. But I doubt he'll get far... He's weak looking. Frail.

District Twelve... Well, District Twelve doesn't come on as too much of a shocker to me. But the way the boy strides onto the stage with a pickaxe, that catches my eye. I lift an eyebrow, then run my eyes over the girl. She looks like she could be a fast runner, but she won't last long, other than that... She's short and thin, so she could be sort of sneaky, but that won't help her for too long... Especially when hunger strikes.

"So, your thoughts?" Amita asks, flicking off the television.

"Looks like we have some good competition." Emiliana says, modestly.

"No. It looks like we have some valuable allies, some easy kills, and some quick ways to win." I correct her, rolling my eyes.

"Well, right and wrong. Some of these people won't ally with you. And that is decided during training. But I hear there's going to be a twist this year." Amita says.

"A twist? They always do a twist. It's a Quell." I reply.

"Yes, but this is a different twist... _Very_ different..." Amita nods.

"Like what?" Emiliana asks.

"They wouldn't tell us. You'll have to wait until the Capitol..."

**District Three's Neon Watts -**

I sit at the table with the mentor, Hurley, and the Representative, Tech, as well as my new District Partner, Reuben. The sun is just barely setting over the moving mountains as we glide along the train tracks. It'd been a long day, and we had watched the Reapings several times over. Hurley wanted to make sure that we had _memorized_ every single Tribute we'd be against. And which ones could be valuable allies. But, you know, who would want to ally with me? They probably would forget I was there.

"Would you pass the butter, please?" Tech asks, reaching towards me.

"Oh, uh... Sure..." I say quietly, handing him the little tray with a stick of butter on it.

Tech begins to slab it across his corn, and then feverishly indulges in the food. I look down at my full plate, blinking hard. Reuben feasts with true hunger, grabbing what he can and shoving it down his windpipe. I never really got too much food at home, so this was like... A lifetime supply to me. I pick up the fork next to the enormous plate that must be as big as my head, and move some food around. But, it really has nowhere to go, because there's so much food on the plate... Hurley looks at me, tilting his head, and then stuffing more food into his mouth.

"Better eat that food, gonna need it when you get into the Arena..." Hurley says, shoveling another mouthful of food into his mouth.

"I'm not going to be alive for that long..." I reply, looking at the food, never moving my gaze to Hurley.

"That's not a good way to think about it... I think you'll do pretty damn good. If I didn't, I wouldn't be talking to you right now." Hurley says.

I can feel Tech and Reuben just staring at us. "I'm just not hungry..." I say, pushing my plate forward on the table.

"Alright. But you're going to eat tomorrow, whether you like it or not." Hurley growls.

"Can I be excused?" I ask quietly.

"Excused? What the hell does that mean?" Hurley says.

"Language!" Tech announces, taking a sip of his bright purple wine.

Reuben laughs, spitting crumbs onto the table.

"That is mahogany!" Tech screams.

Reuben starts cracking up, and I just stand up.

"I'm going into my room..." I say, walking through the automatic doors and into my room.

A few minutes later, Reuben walks into my room, sitting down on the edge of my bed. I just stare at the wall, then glance over to him. He smiles, and I turn back down to the floor. He taps my shoulder, and I move my head up, my glance still a bit downcast.

"Do you want to be my ally?" I hear him ask, but I don't reply.

He continues anyway.

"You can be my ally, you know..." Reuben says.

"I'll just slow you down..." I murmur.

"Nah, you'll be good. I do most of my work with Ra-" He chokes up, "I uh... I do work in the District with some girl that's sort of slow catching on." Reuben says.

"Oh, well... I don't know. I will slow you down, after all." I reply, toying with the little torn end on my dress.

"No. It won't be an issue..." He says, then holds out his hand, "Allies?" He asks.

I slowly reach my hand out, and then grasp his firmly. I actually feel myself smile as we shake on it, and Reuben gives me an actual, real hug. Then, he waltzes from the room like none of it had ever happened.

**District Four's Kai Drave -**

Lotsear sits at the table, looking down at her food as she takes little bites. I slowly take a bite, chewing thoughtfully. The mentor, Sebastian, keeps glancing up at Lotsear, then to me. I try to ignore it, fixing my eyes on the District Representative, Tira. Lotsear stands up, dabbing her face with a napkin.

"You okay, kid?" Sebastian asks.

"Yeah... I-I'm fine... I'm going to go... Take a shower..." Lotsear says, walking to her room.

I sigh, then turn to Sebastian. He looks up at me, taking a drink of his bright green... Something. I frown as I set my glass of water down, then speak up.

"Do you think she's gonna hate me? Forever?" I ask.

"Why would you care?" Sebastian asks, chewing a strawberry carefully.

"Well, she's my sister's girlfriend..." I reply, poking at the stray parsley on my plate.

"Yeah? So... I guess you two are really close? You and your sister?" Sebastian says.

"Yeah... Mostly because our father's insane and if he ever found out Kalli's a lesbian he'd kill us both... Me for knowing, Kalli for being a lesbian." I say, putting my fork down.

"Wow. Sounds like your dad has never met a Peacekeeper." Tira chimes in.

"Yup. He's a real asshole." I nod.

"Well, when you get to Victor's Village, then he'll be good." Sebastian says.

"When?" I sigh, "I promised Kalliroe that I'd keep Lotsear safe... I didn't want to break her heart... I don't even know if I'll ally with Lotsear. Let alone keep her safe..." I continue.

"I think you should at least ally with her for a while... But once you get to the final eight or six, you should probably branch off." Sebastian states, popping a mint into his mouth.

"Yeah, but... I don't know if she'll last long once we're not together." I say, handing an Avox my empty plate as she refills my water glass.

"Then I guess you have a choice to make, yeah? Either you stay with her the entire time, or you just let somebody else pick her up." Sebastian replies.

"Ew! Don't say it like that..." I reply, shuddering.

"Sorry... You know what I meant, though... Right?" Sebastian finishes, breathing into his hand, then taking in a whiff.

"Yes..." I sigh, standing up.

"Alright..." Sebastian says.

"Take it into mind, though... Okay, Kai?" He asks.

"Of course... I'll fall asleep thinking about it." I chuckle, patting Sebastian's back as I walk towards my room.

"Oh! And, Kai!" Tira calls.

"Yeah?" I ask.

"We arrive tomorrow at ten. Tell Lotsear." She says.

"Sure thing." I nod, walking down the hall.

**District Five's Talon Kotka -**

"What are the odds?" I ask, staring at the ceiling.

Alister stirs beside me, placing his hands behind his head.

"I'm not sure... But, with our luck... I guess they're not in our favour." Alister says.

"You know..." I say, glancing out the window beside the bed, watching the moon and the stars zoom alongside us, "Sometimes... I wonder what things would be like if our parents were still around."

"Really? I'm sure we'd still be best friends." Alister chuckles, nudging my elbow.

"Of course!" I say, throwing my arms out in front of me.

Silence settles over the room. All you can hear is the gentle rattle of the mirror in the bathroom. Then, it's broken.

"I tesseraed this morning..." Alister murmurs.

"What?!" I squeal, sitting up.

"I tesseraed... I felt bad... I... I felt like I had to contribute to the family." Alister says.

"But you're Alister! You don't feel bad!" I exclaim.

"Thanks. That makes me feel appreciated." Alister replies.

"I didn't mean it that way!" I sigh, shaking my head.

"I told you guys I didn't want you to tesserae!" I practically yell.

"Shut up, Talon! The mentor's going to kill us, because we'll be too exhausted for chariot night..." Alister says, clamping his hand over my mouth.

I lick his hand, and he wipes it across my face.

"Why... Why would you do that?! Maybe that's why you got picked, Alister!" I whisper scream.

"Maybe that's exactly what happened!" He mocks me, poking my forehead.

I collapse back onto the bed, shaking my head. I'm so full of rage right now. How could he do that?! I clearly say, every week, no tesseraes for the family. But of course, he goes and blows me off! Of course he'd do that... He _is _Alister Rain. I shake my head, then feel him lie down next to me. The train turns a bit, sliding along the tracks effortlessly.

"I can't believe you..." I blow out a breath.

"I'm sorry..." Alister whispers as I close my eyes.

"I'm sure..." I yawn, "I'm sure you are..." I say, drifting off to sleep.

**District Six's Carter Woods -**

I lie awake, glaring at the wall. I can't sleep... I blink hard, rubbing my forehead. I pull a pillow to my bare chest, gazing out the moving landscape. The moon somehow follows me past the mountains and over the running river beneath the train. I imagine it's Lani, following me along to the bakery. I smile, closing my eyes and imagining her skipping along with Goldfish in her pocket. Him croaking happily as she hums a dainty tune. I shake my head, then open my eyes. Nothing is happy right now, so why am I trying to make it happy?

I roll over, facing the other window. The stars look brighter than ever, unlike the way they look over the groggy, hazy night skies of District Six. I bet it's the same as District Five, in some sense... I blow out a heavy sigh, thinking about the Tributes for this year. Who will ally with me? What's the twist? What will the Arena be like? How long will I last? Will Lani actually watch? Questions flood my mind, and I attempt to push them away. I hope Lani doesn't watch...

My chest aches at the thought of my little sister... The thought of home... Wondering how she is at home with my father... Oh, man... My father. I hate getting further from her with every growing second... I have no control over anything. I'm just going closer and closer to my possible death. I shake my head, remembering that I promised Lani I'd come home. That's all I can try to do, anyway. But, as far as I'm concerned, I can get pretty far.

I remember how Lani cried, and I feel a heavier ache in my chest. I wish somebody could understand my pain... Waverly didn't seem too bothered by the fact she was going into the Games. She was talkative at dinner, conversing plans for the Games with our mentor, James. They exchanged ideas, strategies, and ways to win or lose. I was silent, thinking about all the things Lani and I'd did in the few years she'd been alive. I shake my head again, deciding all I need is sleep, and close my eyes. And to my surprise, I actually drift off into a dark, dreamless sleep.


	15. Arriving In The Capitol

**Hey guys! Sorry for the delayed update! I'm going to try and update faster. :3 TRY. But, here's your Capitol arrivals and Chariot Night! I hope you enjoy! It's Districts 7-12. Leave a Review on your thoughts! :3 ~Squintz P.S. Sorry if they're a bit short, again... I've been so busy! AND I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SONGS IN TORO'S POV.**

_Day Two of the Train Rides and Capitol Arrivals, Chariot Night -_

**District Seven's Jade Arctics -**

I chew my breakfast carefully, thankful for the delectable and delicious food. It is some sort of thing called "french toast". My, it is delicious... I wash it down with some milk, swallowing hard. The cinnamon and sugar blend perfectly, making it the most amazing thing I've ever eaten... Across the table, Douglas looks at me like I'm insane. He chuckles, then takes a bite of his breakfast. Salad?

"Enjoying your breakfast?" He asks me.

"Uh... Yeah..." I say quietly.

There's a brief silence, and I glance back to him.

"Salad? For-For breakfast?" I ask, lifting an eyebrow.

"Oh, yeah... I need to keep my figure this way." He laughs, flexing his arms.

"So, I bet you're like the big heart breaker in District Seven then, yeah?" I smirk playfully, chewing a cherry up and spitting the pit onto my plate.

Douglas chokes on his food, then swallows it hard and takes a drink from his ice water. He starts laughing, banging his fists on the table. I sit there awkwardly, wondering why he's laughing so hard. And then, he finally responds to me.

"No... No... No-I... I'm not a heart breaker..." Douglas says.

"No?" I ask, tying the cherry stem in a knot, tilting my head.

"Yeah, I'm no heart breaker... I'm just... Doug." He chuckles.

"Just Doug?" I giggle.

"Mhm. Just Doug," He laughs.

"Well, I think just Doug is pretty cool... So, what do you think the twist will be?" I wonder aloud, taking a sip of some milk.

"Probably something dark, as always..." Douglas sighs, suddenly becoming serious.

Typical him, as I've come to know. I nod my head, looking down at my milk glass. The mentor and escort come walking in, their heads held high. The mentor is a tall, young, blonde woman named Marcelene. And the escort, the same as always, wearing a hideous yellow outfit... She giggles, then stomps up and down like an excited popular girl at my high school.

"We're arriving in the Capitol in an hour! Why don't you Tributes go freshen up?" She squeals.

Ugh, she calls us Tributes all the time... Why can't I just be called Jade? It's a perfectly fine name given to me by my perfectly sane parents. But, you know, the Capitol people are insane... So, I guess it all comes together in some way.

"Sure." Douglas says, nodding his head.

He walks over, pulling out my chair and helping me to stand.

"Oh, such a gentleman." I laugh.

"It's how I was raised." He chuckles, giving me a bow.

"Well you were raised well," I giggle, doing a curtsey even though I'm wearing some pajama sweats.

It's so weird how Douglas can bring out the real somebody in a person. He did to the mentor yesterday, and she opened up on everything. She even cried... And then the escort, well, none of us can get to her. But every time I'm with him, I'm bubbly and happy. I don't quite understand it, because Valerie's my best friend and she can't make me laugh this hard. I guess this is what real friendship is, and I kind of like it. I just wish it wasn't the Hunger Games...

**District Eight's Toro Breckenridge -**

"Hurry, hurry!" The escort's overly peppy male voice screeches through my bedroom door, and I quickly continue to comb out my hair.

I spike up my hair just like I did at the Reaping, smiling at my reflection. My naturally light pink cheeks becoming a bit darker. I shake my head, then walk out of my bedroom. I grin as I walk down the hallway, and then sit down with the mentor and the escort. Cordelia Bonnell comes and sits down as well, and things are silent.

"Hey, Toro." The mischievous mentor, Marcus, says.

"Yeah?" I ask, scratching the tip of my nose as the train begins to slip through a tunnel.

"I practiced something to show you..." He snickers.

Oh god... This can only mean nightmares for a week.

"What?" I reply, forcing my cheeks to stay their normal hue.

Marcus stands up, a grin covering his face. He starts to pop and lock, and then slowly goes down while he dances.

"Drop it like it's hot! Drop it like it's hot! Drop it like it's hot!" He yells, continuing to dance.

He brings his fist to his chest and begins to pump them back and forth furiously, pushing his chest back and forth as he goes. I feel my whole face turn bright red, and then he continues to sing... Even louder.

"Park it like it's hot! Park it like it's hot! Park it like it's hot!" He practically screams.

I push my face in my hands, and then he switches to another song.

"Wobble-dy wobble-dy wa! Wobble wobble! I'm sta-stacking my paper, my wallet look like a bible!" He begins to laugh, falling to his knees and laughing super hard.

"Please! Please just stop! Before I have nightmares!" I cry out.

"I know I will..." Cordelia says quietly, her eyes full of... Well, horror.

"Why did you do that, anyway, Marcus?" The escort asks.

"To get Toro to blush! Are you kidding? Those Capitol teenage girls will fall head over heels for him and beg their daddy to sponsor him. Look at those rosy cheeks! Girls love that... See, look how cute?" Marcus says, squishing my cheeks and forcing me to smile.

I swat his hands away, my cheeks burning from all the blush.

"Haha, alright, alright. That's enough..." Marcus laughs.

The train begins to slow down, and I look out the window. We're pulling into a station, and then all the color hits me. The overwhelming rainbow that is the Capitol. All these citizens are cheering and hollering and screaming for me... And Cordelia. Just me and Cordelia. I blink hard, then begin to feel kind of nervous.

What will they think of me? Will they like me? Will they really think I'm cute, like Marcus said? I suck in a deep breath, and then follow the escort and Marcus through through the hallway, and into the front car. And then, the doors slide open.

**District Nine's Alex Fahey -**

I step out of the train, shielding my eyes. The Capitol is much brighter than it appears on the television. I hear the screams and chants of the crowd, and then we're surrounded by Peacekeepers. They lead us down the steps from the train and we walk through the crowds. Everywhere, groups and crowds of Capitol citizens are screaming my name, and hundreds of them are going completely wild.

"Marry me, Cyan!" A young teen girl screams as a Peacekeeper drags her away from Cyan, kicking and screaming, practically digging her nails into the floor.

I turn around, glancing at Cyan. A satisfied smirk covers his face, and I roll my eyes, turning around. I can't stand arrogance... I continue walking, and a boy reaches out through the crowd and grabs my arm.

"Alex, you're hot!" He yells.

"Oh, um... Uh... Thanks?" I reply, watching as a Peacekeeper swats his hand away.

"Alex, look over here!" A man with a large camera yells, snapping pictures of me.

I squint from the flash, trying to smile. And then he moves on to Cyan. Cyan flexes his arms and winks for the camera, then shoves the guy away. I watch the Peacekeepers try and ignore it, but they all seem a bit bugged about it. But, we continue to walk. A group of boys push at the Peacekeepers, all grabbing at my arms and my shoulders. I stop, trying to move away from them, and I bump into Cyan.

Cyan growls, then turns to me and shoves me onto the floor.

"Watch where you're going, Fahey!" He yells.

"I didn't see you, sorry!" I exclaim, trying to get up.

He shoves me down again.

"What's wrong with you?!" I yell.

"You're hogging my spotlight. Why don't you _crawl_ to the Capitol building?" He smirks, winking at me.

"Gah!" I snarl, lunging forward and throwing my arms around his neck.

I take him to the floor, and then I begin to punch him in the face. I can't take much of this kid, anymore. He's been driving me insane for two days. And I can't handle it... Usually, my tolerance is high... But I can't take it!

The Peacekeepers yank me off of him, and then he charges for me. All of a sudden, a Peacekeeper snatches him by the arm and injects him with some sort of needle. Cyan swoops around on his feet for a bit, then collapses in the Peacekeeper's arms. And they drag him into the Capitol building, and I follow shortly after, proud of what I've finally done...

**District Ten's Matthew Juliann -**

After a rather, overly crowded, overwhelming, and completely hectic arrival in the Capitol, I'm being fixed up by my prep team. Alena, the girl with pink hair, is waxing my eyebrows. And I'm surprised girls put up with this... It hurts more than I expected. But I'd been going strong.

Alena snatches off another piece of paper, then slabs wax across it, and presses it right between my eyes. Then, she picks the end up off my skin, and tugs it off with all her strength. She smiles, then nods.

"Looking good, Juliann. Let's get that hair fixed up!" She says, sitting me up.

I blow out a sigh, poking at the raw skin below my forehead. I then turn to see Alena holding a handful of hair gel.

"What're those for?" I ask.

"Well, your stylist approval of course. You know. Before the Chariot rides." Alena giggles, turning me around.

I attempt to turn around again, but she stops me.

"Just sit still! I know what I'm doing..." She says, putting gel in my hair and beginning to spike it up.

"Okay, I trust you..." I say, crossing my fingers for good luck, in hopes I'll look okay.

She works on my hair for what seems like ages, and I feel myself beginning to drift off. Alena sits me upright again, frowning at me.

"Wake up, sleepy. You have to get approved by the head stylist." Alena says, helping me off the brightly lit table.

"Oh, okay..." I say, walking into a dim room with Alena.

Then, I see a short, young woman standing against the wall. I walk after Alena, who gestures to a silver circle on the floor. I stand atop it, and then Alena comes over and unties the back of my gown.

"Wait, what're you doing?!" I say in a panicked tone.

"Just relax, Matthew. It's fine. We're just going to look over you." The stylist says, walking forward from the dark.

She has short, brown hair and indigo blue eyes. With very pale skin.

Alena removes the gown, and the stylist looks at me. Her fingers drum across her forearm as she walks in a circle around me, nodding her head. Alena stands in the corner, waiting nervously.

"You've done a good job, newbie." She says to Alena.

"Thank you, Indigo." Alena nods, then she grabs her things, and leaves the room.

"Alright, let's begin on the Chariot outfit... Shall we?" Indigo grins, grabbing my arm and pulling me to an outfit hanging on a hanger.

**District Eleven's Alecta Cotts -**

"So, what do you think?" My stylist, Aster, asks.

A wide grin covers my face as I take the outfit in my hands. I run my fingers over the electric blue lace on the dress, plucking it off the hanger and holding it against my body. Aster smiles at me, his filed teeth flashing from behind his black lips. He scratches at his black eyeliner, then walks over and nods.

"Put it on... You'll love it even more. I picked the color because it goes with your eyes..." Aster chuckles.

"Oh, I'll put it on right now!" I say, rushing behind the bright red room divider.

I slip out of my temporary little white dress, slipping on the dress. I turn around and gaze at my reflection in the mirror. My hair is curled, cascading down my shoulders in perfect circles. And my brown eyes go perfectly with the eyeliner and eyeshadow that Aster has decorated my face with. I've always worn my hair in ponytails, but today, I think I'm kind of liking this hairstyle. I smile, running my eyes over the dress design.

The blue lace is just the beginning. Underneath the electric blue lace, it's electric blue yellow hue brings out my bright blue make up and golden eyeliner. Then, at the ends of the sleeves, the dress looks wicked awesome. It has little tears on the edges of the shoulder sleeves, and at the bottom of the dress, it's trim and even. I turn around, looking at the open back of the dress. Little, stray straps that are torn apart criss-cross along the open back. I think I love this dress.

"Are you decent?" Aster calls.

"I'm fantastic, actually." I joke, walking out from behind the sparkling red divider and showing Aster the dress.

He gasps and brings his hands to his mouth.

"It looks better than I could've imagined!" He exclaims, running to the black wardrobe in the corner of the room.

He pulls out a pair of electric blue pumps to match the dress. I smile, grabbing them from him and putting them on my feet. The platforms are about four inches high, and that's a bit wild, but I look like a million bucks... I hug Aster tight, then he pulls away and grabs my hand.

"Now, now... The fun has only just begun! Come on, let's load you into the Chariot!" He says, running out into the back room of the Chariot hall.

**District Twelve's Pyralis Kolton -**

"Alright, just... Right there." Anthracite says, nodding her head to the Chariot.

I stand up onto the Chariot, Anali beside me. She's dressed in a black dress that's shredded at the ends and ripped apart across the chest. So you can see her bright red underneath the dress. I guess it's supposed to represent flames or something. But, Anali looks way too innocent to be wearing that dress, though... Like a duckling with a knife covered in blood in it's grasp... I don't even know...

But I'm luckier than her. I'm wearing a coal black shirt with fire patterns all over, and black pants. I actually look alright, and the other Districts are getting ready. Some have good outfits, others have hideous outfits... Then, a bell rings out over the back room and the Tributes that aren't already in their Chariots, scramble to their spots in the Chariots. The horses begin to trot out, and District One is the first to disappear into the rainbow colored Chariot Hall. The screams can be heard even from all the way back here, and time seems to go so slow until we're finally outside of the back room.

Anali waves shyly, her cheeks a dull pink color. That's unusual. I begin to wave as well, hearing a bunch of female voices chanting my name.

"Pyralis! Pyralis! Pyralis!" They scream.

I look out to District One, noticing the boy's outfit first. I think his name is Hunter... Anyway, he sports an outfit of silver armor with an ocean blue, metallic cape. When he turns to wave to the crowd, I see the District symbol is carved across the chest, and he wears a matching horsehair plume helmet. He kind of looks like a knight... Then, the girl next to him, I think her name's Bay... My eyes wander to her, and she's wearing a matching outfit. Except there's no hat, and she has a chain skirt. She waves and blows kisses to the crowd, nodding and making goofy faces... Pfft.

Then, I notice District Two. The boy, Sterling, wears a golden, sort of cream colored Grecian tunic. As well as a laurel wreath headdress, and a sword sheath strapped to his waist. And, he looks a heck of a lot different from when he did at the Reapings. He's actually gained weight, if anything, and the stylists made him look like he's actually a teenager... Then, the girl, Emiliana. She wears a cream colored dress that hugs her body, showing her muscular skin and build perfectly. It cuts off at mid thigh, and it's completely strapless. She has little white rhinestones covering the empty space on her back, where the dress slopes down in a 'V' shape. She actually looks quite nice.

District Three sports a different get up... The girl, Neon Watts, is wearing a shiny, silver jumpsuit with blue and green glowing wires running all across the body of the suit... She looks like a little blonde circuit board. And when she turns around to look at all the Tributes behind her, I see the heavy amount of make up on her face. She has silver lipstick on and bright green liner on her eyes... Funky. Then, the boy, Reuben, is wearing some sort of really complicated robot outfit. Wires run all around the suit that looks similar to Neon's, and his hair is in a mowhawk on the top of his head... They look sort of goofy!

District Four has some amazing outfits! Lotsear, the girl, is wearing this awesome dress! It's a long dress with long sleeves, but it's short in the front, and long in the back. And her dress ripples like waves all on it's own, sort of like the ocean, and switches from blue to green during the whole ride. It's one of the coolest things I've ever seen... Then, the boy, Kai, is wearing a matching suit. Except, it switches from dark blue to light green. It's super cool. I have to give their stylists props for that!

District Five is pretty basic with colors, but it's more unique than usual. The girl wears a gold and silver dress with wires of every color you can think of wrapped around it, as well as a few random pieces of metal stuck to the dress here and there. And the redheaded boy has a suit to match. The two hold eachother's hands, and wave to the crowd, who goes absolutely wild for them.

The District Six Tributes are wearing white outfits. The boy wears a white suit, and the girl wears a white dress. But, every time they move, little black lines move around the outfits like trains sliding across a track. I guess that's the idea of the outfits. To look like transportation! I kind of like the outfits, they're cool. But others are better.

Like, District Seven, for instance. They sport black outfits that match. The girl wears a long, black dress that sparkles with blue to match her eyes. And she timidly waves to the crowd, but they cheer for her. Then, the boy wears a black and blue suit, waving to the crowd and blowing kisses, and then wrapping his arms around his District Partner. He even plants a kiss on her cheek! And the audience goes nuts!

There's also District Eight, and they wear some cool looking outfits! The girl, Cordelia, wears a long purple dress that is weaved in many different threads of color. At the tight top of the dress, the threads are darker, and then, the threads are lighter as they go down. She looks stunning. Then, the boy, wears many different types of textiles all sewn together into one robe. It looks pretty nice!

District Nine both sport bodysuits with rows of silver and gold, and I'm guessing they represent the fields of grain that District Nine has. The two Tributes wave, and the boy has a smirk plastered to his face. It's like it won't go away. And they both refuse to look at eachother...

District Ten has some particularly strange outfits. The boy, Matthew, is dressed in a suit completely covered in feathers. Feathered shirt, feathered pants, and even feathers in his hair. Feathers of a hawk... I suppose that's the idea. Then, the girl, Bandit, is dressed like a long horned steer. A white dress with little black flecks on it and a wreath that has two long, polished horns coming out of the sides.

Lastly, District Eleven. The boy, Marius, is wearing a light green, sparkling suit. It fits him perfectly, and he looks like a young man. It really does make him look older. There's also some green glitter and highlights in his hair. Finally, the girl, wears a bright green suit with a pink, sparkling flower in her hair. The dress drapes down, dragging along the floor of the Chariot hall, picking up flowers that fans throw on the way to the end of the hall.

And then we reach the end, the crowd is hushed by the President, and he begins to speak.

"Welcome Tributes! Welcome! Welcome to the Capitol!" He says, nodding his head. He's a lot older than in the footage of the last Quell. His hair is graying...

"We welcome you! And we give you all our respect! We salute your courage, your bravery, and your sacrifice!" He announces a bit louder, clearing his throat.

"And we wish you Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favour!" He grins, and the crowd begins to scream and cheer again.

And then the Chariots turn around, and we make our way back to the preparation room, as if nothing ever happened.


	16. Training The Tributes

**Alright! So, for this chapter, I'm doing the POVS(Districts 1-6) that were never done in the first two chapters taking place on the train, or in the Capitol. Hope that wasn't too confusing! But, here is your first day of training! Read, Review, and Favorite! Enjoy! :) ~Squintz P.S. The last one is a little short because I've been writing all day, and I'm exhausted! I'm sorry, guys! 3:  
**

_Training For The Games -_

**District One's Hunter "Hunt" D'Agosto -**

All of the Tributes stand in three rings around the training Instructor. The shorter and younger Tributes in front, the taller, older Tributes in back. The training Instructor is explaining the rules, exercises, and ways we can get into shape for the Games. The Instructor is pretty young, and she's tall and muscular. Meaning she must do this at least... Every day of her life to keep in shape.

"Today, you Tributes will get a feel of what it's like to be in the actual Arena... One thing you must know, is that sooner or later, all but one of you will be dead. There are plenty of ways to die at the hands of other Tributes, but most of you will die from other causes. Twenty percent from dehydration, ten percent from infection, and fifteen percent from starvation... Don't ignore the survival skills, because you'll never know what you need in the Arena." She nods, and then another trainer blows a whistle.

"The first exercise is going to be a tricky one! But, it's always like this," Says the second trainer.

"You're going to run down the gauntlet center, then run into the maze," The Instructor says, pointing to the gauntlets, then to the enormous, silver maze in the corner of the enormous training center.

"You'll be wearing these special sensor suits that enable you to be 'killed' in the game." The second trainer adds, holding up a little light green suit with a one marked on the shoulder.

It has little glowing blue sensors all across the front, sides, back, and legs. She takes a rubber weapon off the rack, and then hits it against the blue sensor. The sensor beeps, and the sensor turns yellow.

"See, now, if the sensor turns yellow..." She gestures to the yellow, blinking sensor light, "Then you're still alive. But you have more a chance of dying if you run into another Tribute. Once they turn red..." She takes a rubber sword and slams it against the sensor, making it turn bright red and beep once.

"Then you're out. You will be lifted out by the cranes, simulating what will actually happen if a Tribute is killed in the Arena." The Instructor adds, pointing to the enormous cranes hanging above the maze.

"First, you'll grab a weapon, make your way down the gauntlet without getting caught by fellow Tributes, and you can enter through either entrance on the maze. But, each one leads to another path. So be careful!" The second trainer grins, and then they line us up in one straight row facing the enormous gauntlet.

We pull the suits on over our outfits, then prepare to run. The trainer nods, and the Gamemakers are keeping a strong gaze on us. Watching each one of us. The fake gong rings out, and I instantly run for the rubber spiked mace on the third weapon rack. I dash for the gauntlet, leaping onto the first platform. The second is higher up, so I take a quick running start, avoiding a sudden attack from the District Two boy, Sterling Peeters. He dives after me, slipping and pulling himself onto the platform with his forearms.

I manage to work my way up to the third platform, and turn around. My own District Partner is catching up, lunging over Sterling with ease. She grins at me as she comes running with a rubber sword, a twisted expression crossing her face now.

"You're in my world now, Hunt..." She smirks, jumping after me as I reach the lower fourth platform.

I rush down the remaining six with ease, following after the District Five girl and the District Five boy through the maze. And then, when they turn left, I keep going straight. I catch my breath as I turn to the right, slumping down against the wall. The fading footsteps of Tributes rush past me, and I wipe at my nose. I wonder how long I'll wait here... Until some unsuspecting Tribute rounds the corner and...

"Hello, Hunt." Bay says from the side of me.

I turn around, my eyes wide. She spins the rubber sword around in her fingers, twirling it in circles.

"You know, sometimes I wonder if being your ally will really benefit in the Career pack..." She holds the tip of the sword centimeters from my chest sensor, which is still beating blue.

"But, I think now... That you're a bit of a sissy... Hiding here... Tell me, _Hunter_... What does this boy back home mean to you?" Bay asks in a dark voice, tracing the tip of the sword along the neck sensor on the suit.

"He's my best friend... He's practically my brother." I lie.

"You... You lie." She flashes her teeth, kneeling down to share eye contact with me.

"I love him." I blurt out, slapping the brunette across the face and running off.

"Hunter D'Agosto is a ga-" Bay starts to scream the words while running after me, but is tackled to the floor by the crazed District Nine boy.

"Time for me to take care of a big mouthed problem." Cyan smirks, pulling out a rubber knife from behind his back.

He takes the knife and jabs it into the sensors, making each turn red. A simulation cannon booms out, and Bay gets up.

"Dammit!" She yells, shoving Cyan down.

A crane comes down from the ceiling and yanks her out of the maze, cursing and fitting. Well, at least I'm still 'alive'. But now I have Cyan to deal with...

**District Two's Emiliana Vincere -**

I frown at the two short, thick blades I was able to grab when I reached the weapons rack at the beginning of the exercise. They aren't as useful as the knives I'm used to... But at least I have them here in the Capitol. I don't know what I'd do without them... Jason came in at the last second before I was loaded onto the train and slid them to me. I informed the mentor, and she seemed totally cool with it.

Anyway, I watch as a Tribute walks right past the edge of the maze I'm hiding against, and I quickly straighten my back, pressing myself to the wall. A cannon goes out, and the Tribute continues on forward, gripping his bundle of rubber throwing knives tighter. I grin, then slowly walk after him, creeping along. It's the boy from District Eleven... He stops, and then I jab him in the back with one of the rubber knives, and he turns around with a frown. The fake cannon booms out.

"Sorry, man." I wink, then walk off as the crane plucks him from the course.

I continue on until I see a Tribute walking towards me head on. It's a girl. She's fairly tall with short brown hair and two different colored eyes. She smirks, then comes charging at me. I return the facial expression, running at her as well. She snatches me by the shoulders, tackling me onto the floor of the practice maze. I yelp out as the wind is forced from my chest, and the girl pins me to the floor. Another random cannon goes off.

"Hi there. I'm Lotsear." She smiles wickedly, her magnificent eyes gazing down at me.

Wow. To be killed with these eyes looking at me... It'd be... Fascinating... For some reason. And then I remember it's just a practice exercise...

"Emiliana." I reply.

"District Four," She says.

"District Two." I nod.

"Oh, I hear that's a tough District." She notes, slowly sliding her pretend sword along my sensors, making them turn yellow and pulse faster.

_'Dammit...'_ I think, _'She's good...'_

"I think my work here is done..." She says, wiping some loose strands of hair from her face.

"I'll leave somebody else to finish you off... I wouldn't want to get off on the wrong foot. I mean, we had a friendly conversation, yeah?" Lotsear adds.

"Yeah... Yeah, we did." I chuckle.

"So, I guess this means we're cool?" The girl asks.

"Wait. We aren't even." I say, accepting her hand as she helps me up.

"Sorry, girl. I don't play to get even... I play the Games to _win_..." She says, slinking off like a vixen and disappearing from sight.

I'm not completely sure what just happened... Or why it did... And I don't want to jump to any conclusions... But... I think I just found myself an ally.

**District Three's Reuben Wires -**

I slither stealthily along the walls of the maze, my back pressed to the cold, hard surface of silver. I grin as a completely helpless Tribute walks along, appearing completely weaponless. Her long, brown hair swings along with her careless little walk. She even hums a dainty little tune. Oh, could this get any easier? A cannon booms out as I peek around the corner, and the Tribute whips around. I quickly slide back behind the wall. Then, I hear her footsteps walking away from me again. And I follow after her. Could this be any easier? If it can, I'm surprised.

I walk along after her, staying as silent as possible. I poise my rubber knife to throw at her back sensor, watching the gently pulsing blue light. I pull my arm back, aline the throw, and then feel somebody snatch my arm and pull it behind my back. Then, I'm doubled over and there's a hand over my mouth. A rubber speak pokes at the sensor over my throat, and I stay completely still. Then, I'm being dragged by the wall, and I'm thrown to the floor.

"You look like you need to work on your sneaking technique." The District Four boy chuckles sarcastically, then take the spear and plunges it towards my chest sensor.

I quickly roll to the left, lunge onto my feet, and then stab a knife into his back. The sensor only turns yellow, and I quickly run from the corridor, down to the one where I was stalking the brown haired girl. She continues her stroll, and I slam into her on accident, knocking her down. She squeals out, and then the District Five boy and girl peek around the corner. Why doesn't everybody just come join the party?!

District Four comes running at me again, and then a cannon booms out and he turns around. His own District Partner, Lotsear, stands behind him with a wicked grin and a heaving chest. Her sword dangles in her hands, and then she waves to her Partner as he's lifted from the maze. She walks over to me, yanking me off of the girl, who appears to be the girl from Twelve. She helps the girl up, then points the sword at my chest sensor.

"You're lucky I saved your ass. But favors come with a price. Especially when they aren't asked of somebody." Lotsear says, tracing the outline of my sensor with the sword blade.

"However, favors can be repaid at any time..." She nods her head once, then scurries off down another corridor, after the District Five Tributes.

I turn to the girl from Twelve, her eyes bulging from her head.

"What just happened?" She asks.

"I think I just got a death threat..." I reply, my eyes almost nearly as wide as her's.

**District Four's Lotsear Maver -**

I chase after the District Five Tributes, determined to show my worth to the Gamemakers, who seem satisfied with my fake bloodlust. I finally catch up to the blonde girl, who appears pretty fast, and I slam into her, using my sword to hit her in the chest with my rubber sword. The cannon booms out. She frowns, and then the red headed boy comes over and snatches her fake bow and arrows. He shoots one at my shoulder, turning the sensor yellow. I frown, then get up and follow after him as he rounds another corridor, and then another.

He's much faster than I expected. And, at this rate, I won't be able to catch him any time soon. So, I give up, and I follow the winding part of the maze. This gives me time to catch my breath, and time to think about all that's gone on during this exercise. It's only been thirty minutes and half of the Tributes are gone. I wonder if this maze is a set up for the actual Games. Like, it could be training us for the real Arena... A maze? Pfft. Too easy. Especially for me. I'm fantastic at puzzling things. And a maze, well... That's just much too simple.

Another cannon booms off, and then another. So I'm guessing two Tributes just "killed" eachother. I blow out a sigh, and hear a footstep. I quickly turn around and see the boy from Two glaring at me. He's got a twisted smile on his face, and he's looking pretty creepy. I blink hard, then slowly wave and step back.

"Hi." I say.

He steps forward, and I step back again.

"Hello." He nods.

"Uh... I-I'm Lotsear... Lotsear Maver." I stutter.

"I'm Sterling. Sterling Peeters." The boy says, scratching at his forehead.

"Nice to... Nice to, uh... Nice to meet you." I stutter, trying to chew my bottom lip and keep from being nervous.

"You as well. It's been my honor competing in this 'Game' with you..." Sterling says sarcastically, walking forward quickly.

I take some more steps back, then trip and fall onto my back. I scramble backwards on all fours like a cornered animal. Then, I feel the back of my head bang against the maze wall, and I'm at a dead end. Oh, man... Oh, no... Not now. Not after I'm so far in the competition, impressing the Gamemakers! I wipe at my sudden bloody nose, then get an idea...

"Time out! Time out! Time out!" I scream, standing up.

"Time out, he punched me in the nose!" I say loudly, hearing a whistle blow, and then the maze walls are lifted from all around us, and the training center returns to its normal setting.

"Oh, you are so dead in the Arena..." Sterling snarls to me while Peacekeepers pull him away from me.

**District Five's Alister Rain -**

It's late evening, and we're having dinner on floor Five of the Capitol Building. It's a fairly expensive dinner, and the food has been delicious. Except, the Mentor and Representative won't stop talking about today.

"Do you think District Two really punched Lotsear in the face?" Talon asks the Mentor.

"It's a possibility. I wouldn't doubt it. District Two looks like he's vicious this year... He wants blood." The Mentor nods, scratching at his light pink tipped nose.

"All the Tributes look pretty bad." I blurt, "Except for the boy from Eleven and the girl from Three. As far as I'm concerned, the only nutjob we have to worry about is District Nine. That boy was dropped down the insanity tree when he was little, and he hit _every_ damn branch on the way down!" I yell.

They kind of stare at me, and then Talon starts to laugh really hard. She even snorts, and some water sprays from her nose. The Representative sneers in disgust, and I start to laugh. The Mentor chuckles, and then shakes his head.

"But, seriously... You kids need to decide... Allies or not?" He asks.

"I-I don't know." I say truthfully.

"Yeah, I mean... If I see him die... Or if he sees me die... Then... I don't think things will ever be the same." Talon murmurs, her happiness suddenly fading like it sometimes did.

She looks down at her food, poking at the chicken breast on her plate with her fork. I listen to the quiet scrape of metal on glass, and then stand up.

"I think... Uh... I think we should go talk about this." I say, grabbing Talon's wrist and walking her to my room.

I slam the door behind us, sitting on the bed in the dark. I feel her presence beside me, and the bed slouches down a bit with both of us on the edge.

"So, are we allies or not?" She asks quietly.

"I don't know." I reply.

There's silence.

"Do you want to be allies?" I ask.

"I don't know." She says.

"Well, then how are we going to decide?" I mutter.

"I don't-" Talon yawns, "Know..." She lies back on the bed, closing her eyes.

"Then we should decide soon... Or, we'll be dead in the Arena..." I say, plopping down beside her.

"Let's just worry about it after Training Scores... Alright?" She murmurs, sucking in a sleepy, deep breath.

"Alright..." I reply, watching her drift off to sleep.

**District Six's Waverly Mendez -**

I wipe at my eyes as I try and glance through the window in my room. It faces directly across from my bed, right where I have my head on the pillow. It completely overlooks the Capitol Square, where they're playing recaps of the Reapings. It's been probably thirty minutes that I've been trying to sleep, but I'm interrupted by the sounds of family members screaming in pain for their loved ones. But, they're on District Twelve right now... So, I can only pray that I'll get my sleep after this.

I lie back down in bed, pulling the extraordinarily fluffy covers over my body, and resting my head on the amazingly comfortable pillow. I imagine I'm falling asleep on a cloud, but I can't get used to it, because I'll be in the Arena sometime soon... I roll over, and then have the living piss scared out of me by the sound of the Capitol anthem blaring out from the Square. I slam a pillow over my head, but the sound still invades my ears. I close my eyes tight, shaking my head. How is it that I got a horrible location for a room?

I turn around and look out the window. They're now playing recaps from the last Quell. The first thing I see is a girl driving a knife through a little boy's brains. Then, another boy getting crushed by an enormous snake. And after that, two young girls fighting eachother. And then a blind girl getting murdered. Man, I wish I'd seen those Games... I don't like the Games, but that looks like an intense Quell... I just hope it's worse than this one, so ours isn't bad. I just shake my head again, then close my eyes and try to erase the gory, bloody images from my mind.

But it's no use. I'm still going into the Hunger Games. And nothing can change that. I'm probably going to die in there, anyway... I suck in a deep breath, before I'm about to fall asleep and begin to whisper to myself.

"I love you Devin. You're like my little brother... And, Paisley... I love you, too. As well as you, Jonah and Nora. You guys have all been great friends..." I murmur, then drift into a dark, dreamless sleep.


	17. Tribute Training Scores

**Alright! Training Scores! For this update, I'm doing it in the Television Host's POV. As well as the next one, so you children will all get to see the Interviews :3 I am hoping you will enjoy this, and to any of you who don't... Well, I don't know what to tell you :D I am just a simple Squin, and I cannot do anything to change what I am. :P Anyway, Review and earn a bonus of 500 sponsor points. And, there's a sponsor question worth 1000 points at the bottom of this page... BONUS :D Enjoy, my lovelies! ~Squintz**

_Announcements of the Training Scores -_

**Cadmus Flickerman's POV -**

"Go ahead and just sit right there," Alicia, a television producer, points me to the chair.

I sit down on the round, white chair. It's quite comfortable. Leather exterior and a pillow seat. This must be what the Interview Night chairs feel like. Of course, I've never experienced Interview Night as the Interviewer. This is my first year, and I'm determined to make my citizens and father proud of my performance!

The touch up artists come around the corner, dabbing some hair dye here and there in my bright orange wig. Then, they brush some more along my orange eyebrows. The third artist plucks some loose hair from my eyebrows, fixing them up. I remain still as they apply my orange eyeliner, and then they scribble some instant whitener on my teeth.

The Head Gamemaker's assistant, Hex, comes walking over. He holds a thin stack of papers, and sets them on the desk in front of me.

"Here are the scores for the Tributes. Do not share them with anyone until you're on the air. Do you understand?" He asks.

"Yeah." I nod.

"Okay, and now..." He shuffles through the papers, turning the pages and landing on a certain one.

"Here," He jabs his finger at the paper, "Here is your script. You read all of this, no faltering. Got it?" Hex asks.

"Got it." I reply.

"Alright, if you screw up, it's going to be my fault. And I'll get fired. Don't mess it up." He says.

"I have Flickerman's blood, Hex. You make me laugh." I chuckle, turning to the first page of the script and running it over.

"I'm a Gamemaker. Not a comedian... Oh, and by the way, Cadmus. Don't try and memorize the script. Just _read_ it." Hex says, slithering out the door.

"Alright, then." I mutter, adjusting the cuffs on my neon orange suit.

I pull a little mirror out of my pocket, looking at my face. Eesh, I look a little pale... I set the mirror on the desk in front of me, then clap my hands loudly.

"Bring me my bronzer!" I announce.

The touch up girls come running over, and dab some bronzer cream on my face. I nod, then look at myself in the mirror. The girls stand there silently, waiting for my opinion.

"It looks great. Thank you, ladies." I say.

They giggle, then run off backstage. The cameras are rolled in and placed in front of my desk, and I begin to get nervous. This is going to be my first Training Score episode! I can't wait! The man with pink hair and yellow skin begins to count down.

"Five, four, three, two..." He makes a one symbol with his hands, and I flash a bright smile to the camera.

"Hello there, Panem. I'm Cadmus Flickerman, your television host. Twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, three hundred and sixty five days a year!" I grin, raising my eyebrows as I glance down to the script for a second.

"Today, we're going to show you sponsors and Tribute families how your contestants did. But, first, the Gamemakers would like to acknowledge that this has been done over a course of time for the past couple of days," I pause for a second, like it says in the script.

Then, I feel the Capitol seal disappear behind me and become replaced with the picture of the District One girl, Bay Rossey. I glance down to the script, holding it my hands and clearing my throat.

"From District One, Bay Rossey, with a score of ten. And Hunter D'Agosto, with a score of nine." I read, then feel the image behind me change again.

"From District Two, Emiliana Vincere, with a score of ten. And Sterling Peeters, with a score of ten." My eyes scroll along the list, and I wait until the color from the screen behind me reflects along the desk edge, and then read again.

"From District Three, Neon Watts, with a score of six. And Reuben Wires, with a score of eight." The reflection changes again, and I read the next pair of scores.

"From District Four, Lotsear Maver, with a score of nine. And Kai Drave, with a score of nine." Not bad.

"Then, from District Five... Talon Kotka, with a score of eight. And Alister Rain, with a score of nine." A bit of a surprise, right there!

"From District Six, Waverly Mendez, with a score of five. And Carter Woods, with a score of nine." I nod, thinking of how all these Tributes could've gotten such scattered scores. Illegal training? Who knows?

"From District Seven, Jade Arctics, with a score of nine. And Douglas Hilgenbrinck with a score of ten." Oh, pretty good for Seven.

"District Eight's Cordelia Bonnell, with a score of seven. And Toro Breckenridge with a score of eight." I read clearly, then have to clear my throat again.

"From District Nine, Alex Fahey, with a score of seven. And Cyan Akins with a score of nine." Yeah, I heard Cyan was an aggressive player...

"From District Ten, we have miss Bandit Lee Highland, with a score of eight. And Matthew Juliann, with a score of eight." Matching digits.

"Then, District Eleven, with Alecta Cotts holding at a score of nine. And Marius Steel with a score of eight." Pretty good, for Eleven.

"District Twelve's Anali Blaise, with a score of five. And Pyralis Kolton with a score of eight." I heard that boy's handy with a pickaxe.

"To conclude, we thank you for joining us! And we wish you all the best of luck. Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favour!" I smile at the camera, wink, and then we're off the air.

"Good job, Cadmus. You have a good shot at this career... But, the real test is tomorrow night. Interviews... And Ally Introductions." Hex says, smirking at me with his arms folded.

**Sponsor Question: What does Effie Trinket despise? Is it: A. Haymitch Abernarthy B. Being Off Schedule C. Bad Manners Or D. All Of The Above? P.M. Me with the answer, and you can earn 1000 bonus sponsor points!**


	18. Interview Night

**I just can't seem to stop updating! I love it so much! Alright, well, we're at the Interviews! Once again, this chapter will be done through Cadmus Flickerman's POV! You will get to see all of the Tributes interviews! I hope you enjoy! Read and Review! Once again, this is an exclusive chapter, and if you review, you will receive 500 sponsor points. There is also a question at the end of the chapter! Enjoy! ~Squintztastical P.S. Two Pairings didn't send in their Allies, so I made them for you guys. You're welcome. ;) P.P.S. If I spelled things wrong after the District Six interviews, please don't hate me. I just got surgery yesterday and I can only see out of one eye xD So, I hope you enjoy anyhow! Leave a review! :3 There may or may not be two updates today!**

_Night of The Interviews -_

**Cadmus Flickerman's POV -**

I sit in the chair, facing the enormous, sparkling orange screens that have my image on them. I grin, feeling a wave of excitement sweep over me. The crowd is cheering eagerly, waiting to see all the interviews. Then, I hear the voice in my tiny, orange earbud.

"Cadmus, you're live."

I whip around in my chair, hearing the sudden roar of approval and clapping of the Capitol people. The Capitol people are on their feet, screaming and clapping and cheering. I wave and laugh, smiling my best.

"Yes, hello! Hello! Hello! Hello!" I announce, nodding my head.

The Capitol citizens sit down, and then I laugh and nod once more.

"Welcome! Welcome, welcome! In just a few moments, all of the Tributes you've heard all about are going to be out here! Are you excited?!" I laugh, placing the microphone behind my back.

The crowd cheers, and I wave my arms in an upward motion, then begin to clap. I walk to the chair again, and sit down, waiting for the first Tribute to get ready. Then, I hear it in my earbud.

"District One female is coming your way. Bay Rossey." The voice says.

I stand up, then announce: "From District One, Bay Rossey! Let's have a warm round of applause!"

The crowd goes wild, and Bay shakes my hand, then sits down beside me in the chair. I sit down, then grin and nod my head.

"Welcome, Bay! Welcome! So, Bay, are you ready for the Games?" I ask.

"Yes, Cadmus. I am extremely ready for the Games." Bay replies, flipping her curly, brown hair over her shoulder.

She sports a long, slender, strapless gown in a shade of light pink. The dress has little white stripes around the chest, but no more stripes after the waist of the dress. It hugs her body, and it doesn't look too comfy. But it makes her look good, and it shows off her muscular arms and legs. She also has tall, white heels that are strapped around her feet.

"And, Bay... Do you have any exclusive info about the other Tributes for this year?" I ask her, crossing my legs.

"Oh, you know I do, Cadmus!" Bay giggles.

"Do you now? Oh, please share!" I gush.

"Well, Hunter finally confessed to me that he only volunteered because he loves the boy that was originally picked. Yeah, that's right," The crowd gasps, "He loves him! And, Lotsear only volunteered because she didn't want her _girlfriend_ to get killed!" Bay blurts.

Uh, this may be a little extreme. But the crowd is on their toes, eager to know more.

"And the little boy from District Eleven, yeah, I've heard gossip about him. Apparently his parents hate him because he's into boys, too! Oh, and the boy, Douglas Hilgenbrinck from Seven, he's a prostitute! But his family doesn't know, and-" I cut her off, because this is getting a little bit bad...

"Alright, well... Can you tell us some of the ideas you're going to use in the Arena?" I ask, tilting my head at her.

"Uh, backstabbing! Duh! I'll probably come up with something new, though. Because I'm so amazingly beautiful, smart, and cunning!" Bay says.

"Oh, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!" I laugh, then begin to ask her my final question.

"So, Bay... How was your reaction to the Reapings when you watched them?" I question.

"Pffft! I'm a shoe in to be a Victor. All these idiots don't stand a chance. So, I hope you guys have your sponsor cash ready, because I'm going to kick some ass!" Bay says, standing up and taking a curtsy.

"Thank you! District One's Bay Rossey!" I say, watching her walk off stage.

The voice in my ear returns.

"District One male. Hunter D'Agosto." It says.

"Okay, let's welcome one of Panem's favorites: Hunter D'Agosto!" I yell, waving him on stage.

He laughs, coming onto the stage enthusiastically. He waves and smiles, seeming unaffected by what Bay told to the entire world a few seconds ago. He sports a light blue suit with a cute little black bow tie. He shakes my hand happily, grinning to the crowd and waving at them one last time before sitting down.

"Welcome, Hunter! Welcome!" I say.

"Thank you! It's great to be here." Hunter nods at me, smiling brightly.

"So, we're going to ask a few questions to find out more about you, sound good?" I ask.

"Sounds great!" Hunter laughs.

"Alright, first off... Did your friend Nicholas come and say goodbye to you, after the Reaping?" I ask him, looking at him with the most sympathetic look I can make.

The crowd's eyes are riveted onto Hunter, and he nods his head slowly.

"Yeah... Yes, he did come say goodbye." He replies, his voice a bit hoarse.

"And, what did he say to you?"

"He asked me why I did it... Why I volunteered. He asked me if I was just trying to embarrass him or something... And I said no. He just asked me why one more time... So I told him that I loved him. And then he had to go." Hunter says, taking in a deep breath.

"Well, I hope he's watching now." I say, seeing a sad smile form on Hunter's face, "And, I'd like to ask you just three more questions."

"Go ahead, Cadmus." He grins.

"What are your thoughts on the Capitol? How are you liking it?" I chuckle.

"Oh, well. Things are very techy here. I like it. It's very... Very, uh... Very fancy." Hunter laughs.

The crowd laughs, and then I begin to laugh as well.

"That's good, that's good. And, what has been your favorite part of being in the Capitol so far?"

"My favorite part would have to be... Probably training. It's very fun, very challenging, and the whole thing just really shows you who will be the people to look out for in the Arena." Hunter replies, the smile never leaving his face.

"Oh, sounds very fun! Very fun indeed!" I beam, "So, our final question... Who do you think will be the first to go?" I ask.

He thinks for a moment, then squints. The smile returns to his face, but it's more malicious and devious than I've ever seen.

"I think Bay Rossey will be the first to die. Definitely." He snickers and the crowd laughs.

"I like the passion!" I declare, standing up and shaking his hand.

"Thank you for being here! Ladies and gentlemen... Hunter D'Agosto!" I bellow.

The crowd goes wild with cheers, and then Hunter walks off stage, and I get another notification.

"District Two is on her way up. Emiliana Vincere."

I walk out towards the end of the stage, closer to the citizens, then announce her name.

"Please give a warm, Capitol welcome to the magnificent Emiliana Vincere from District Two!" I hear the sudden cheers of the audience as Emiliana walks onto stage wearing a slim, long, black dress that covers up her shoes.

I'm almost positive they're stilettos, though. She looks taller than usual. She walks over and shakes my hand, smiling brightly. She has black rhinestones as earrings and little dashes of glitter here and there in her hair. She sits down in the little white chair beside me, and I smile at her.

"Welcome to the Capitol, Emiliana!" I exclaim.

"Why thank you, Cadmus." She giggles.

"So, Emiliana, I hear you have some special weapons that you take everywhere with you, is that correct?" I ask her.

"That is correct, yeah... In fact..." She reaches underneath her dress, and I hear the sound of a strap slapping against skin, and when she pulls her hand out, she's holding two knives that look like sharks.

"I have them right now." She laughs.

The crowd goes wild, and she takes a bow.

"Very, very interesting. Well, Emiliana, I hear you had a run in with Lotsear during training. Is that rumor true?" I ask quizzically.

Emiliana sucks in a deep breath, "Yeah, I did. But she left me after a while. And I think I may have made a new ally."

The crowd cheers, and Emiliana giggles. She brushes her magnificently long hair behind her ears, then smiles at me.

"Emiliana, do you think you'll be a double threat in the Arena, since it sounds like you and Lotsear are going to be working together now?" I ask.

"Exactly. I think we'll be a fantastic team." Emiliana replies.

The crowd cheers again, extremely loud. And they clap and laugh and whistle.

"And, Miss Vincere, I want to know... What has been your favorite part of training?" I ask her.

"Oh... I'd have to say learning some new things... And, probably getting to show off my skills to the other careers." She laughs, nodding her head.

"And, I have one final question... This is something that's been rumored a lot around the Capitol... But, it's a bit of a silly question..." I chuckle, then read the question, "Were you wearing underwear underneath your dress at the Reaping?"

The crowd begins to laugh uncontrollably. And then they cheer and stand up, laughing hysterically and whistling. Emiliana's cheeks begin to glow red, and she laughs as well.

"Yes, yes. Believe it or not, I was wearing underwear." She giggles.

"Well, good! And thank you for coming out here," I laugh, taking her hand and raising it into the air.

"Emiliana Vincere of District Two!" I announce.

The Capitol is alive with the sounds of cheering, and Emiliana waves as she walks off stage. Definitely going to be a favorite this year. Surely one of mine.

"Sterling Peeters. District Two, he's coming on right now." The voice murmurs.

Sure enough, the boy walks on stage. The crowd cheers and claps, standing up as the potential Victor takes his place on the stage. He shakes my hand, and I run my eyes over him. At the Reaping, he looked at least 27 years old. But his hair is trimmed, and his face looks completely restored. And his suit makes him look very grown up.

"Welcome, Sterling. Great to have you," I say.

"I know." He nods.

"Take a seat, take a seat." I chuckle.

Sterling sits down, crossing his legs and relaxing a bit.

"So, Sterling... How has training been going?" I ask him.

"Oh, god. Well, some of the Tributes are stupid as hell... And then that girl from District One is a total ass." Sterling replies, shaking his head.

"Okay, then I take it it's going bad?" I lift an eyebrow, squinting a bit.

"Uh, no. Because I know I'll be able to kill the District Five Tributes. It's all I want. I don't care if I get killed, as long as I kill District Five." Sterling growls.

"Can I ask a personal question?" I ask him, making sure that it will be okay.

"Just ask it." He hisses.

"Why do you hate District Five so much?"

"Those heartless jerks killed my little sister after they gained her trust!" Sterling yells, standing up from his seat.

"Okay, okay, sit down..." I say, trying to calm him.

"Screw you..." Sterling mutters, sitting down and crossing his legs.

"Another question, moving on..." I nod, beginning to ask another question, "What was your favorite Chariot Outfit?" I ask.

"My own. Duh." Sterling snickers.

"Alright, and... Who's your favorite Capitol person and why?" I ask him, seeing the crowd lean forward to hear his response.

"Of course it's you, Cadmus! You're the best in Panem! You're funny and cool." Sterling says, probably lying...

"Well thank you! And we wish you the best of luck! Ladies and gentlemen, District Two's Sterling Peeters!" I holler, holding his hand in the air.

He takes a bow and the crowd claps and cheers, and then Sterling waltzes off stage. The voice reappears in my ear again.

"District Three. Neon Watts. Make her feel welcome."

The tiny, thin blonde comes walking on the stage in the cutest yellow dress. It's got thin little straps, and she wears little white heels. She has some slight eyeliner and mascara on, and a little yellow bow in her ponytail. She looks just like a little girl... Not a Tribute... Innocent, really.

"Welcome, Neon. Welcome." I smile at her, taking her hand and shaking it.

She sits down, and then folds her hands in her lap.

"Neon, must I say, it's a pleasure to meet you." I say.

"Thank you, Cadmus... You too." She says quietly.

I chuckle, then pat her hand.

"So, do you miss your family?" I ask.

"I suppose... But, they probably don't miss me..." Neon murmurs.

The crowd gushes with 'aws' and 'poor thing'. I frown, then shake my head.

"I'm sure they miss you dearly... And, what Career Tribute do you dislike the most?" I quiz Neon, tilting my head a bit.

"I think we all hate Bay..." Neon giggles, her cheeks turning a bit red.

"Yeah, that's been a fan favorite tonight." I laugh.

"Alright, Neon... What weapon or skill are you handiest with?"

Neon thinks for a moment.

"Poison. I can make poison, put poison into food, and poison weapons to make them kill quicker than usual." Neon replies, her voice tiny.

"Oh, sounds dangerous!" I laugh, "And what do you think of this year's Tributes?"

"They're very tough..." Neon sighs.

"Yes? In what way?" I ask.

"Physically and some others mentally. If you ever go and watch training, you'd see how crazy it really is..." Neon nods.

"Well, we wish you all the best of luck. We know you'll do great," I say, standing up and taking her hand, "Neon Watts of District Three! Panem's poison pet!" I laugh.

The crowd goes wild. Cheering, laughing, whistling, and clapping. Neon giggles, and then scurries off the stage. Then, I'm informed of the next Tribute. A young man with curly brown hair walks on stage, a smile on his face. He waves to the crowd, nodding his head and then shaking my hand. I chuckle, then sit down. He does the same. Reuben wears a light gray suit with a yellow tie that has a three on the bottom of it. The tie brings a smile to my face.

"Welcome to the Capitol, Reuben. Are you enjoying yourself?" I ask him.

"Oh, definitely. Training's been a blast and the food here has been _really_ good." He laughs.

The crowd laughs along with him, and I ask another question.

"That's fantastic! And, I think all of us are wondering... Who were you looking at, during the Reaping? It seemed like you couldn't keep your eyes off of somebody..." I grin.

"Oh... That... That was my best friend Rae. She's been with me through thick and thin. We're really close." Reuben exclaims, crossing his fingers and showing me.

"Ah, I see. And is there a bit of romance going on between you two?" I smirk playfully at him, winking and laughing.

He begins to laugh.

"Haha, I'm not sure. You'd have to ask her, because most of it is her." I chuckle.

"I get it," I chuckle, "So, Reuben... Who do you think the main threats in the Arena will be?"

"Oh, most definitely Districts One and Two... And probably Four. Maybe even the boy from Six and the girl from Seven. They seem pretty deadly." Reuben nods.

"Yeah... And a final question: Have you made any alliances yet?" I ask.

"Actually, yes. Me and Neon are in a bit of an alliance." Reuben smiles.

"Oh, lovely! Well, thank you for coming out. It was a pleasure having you." I say, shaking his hand and then holding it out in the air.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the Capitol, Reuben Wires!"

There's a roar of approval from the crowd, and Reuben waltzes off stage. The next Tribute, Lotsear Maver, appears on stage. The crowd is cheering like mad, and people throw roses onto the stage that sit in the front row. Lotsear grins and waves back to the crowd, and even picks up a rose. Her dress is light blue with green ruffles lying over the blue material at the bottom of the dress. It looks quite well on her, and she even matches with color changing heels. She shakes my hand, sitting down beside me.

"Hello, Lotsear!" I smile.

"Hi there, Cadmus! Nice to meet you," Lotsear says.

"Nice to meet you as well. My, that is quite an amazing dress." I compliment her.

She smiles brightly, and then nods her head. "Thank you."

"Anytime. Now, I hear you have quite the nice life back at District Four... Are you sad about leaving it for a more... Gory, violent, bloody one?" I ask.

"Definitely. I miss my Kalliroe, dearly. And since my secret's out already- Thanks Bay!- I just want to tell Kalli that I love her!" Lotsear says, making a heart with her hands and showing it to the cameras.

The crowd melts from the sight, and some sad sighs come from the audience.

"Don't get down, folks!" I say to the crowd, turning to Lotsear, "If you go out there... And you win the Games... You can go back home to your Kalliroe. You can see her again." I add.

Lotsear nods, then looks out to the crowd, waving to a few people, then turning back to me. Silent.

"So, moving on from that, do you have any insecurities? Maybe your eyes?" I ask.

"What about my eyes?" She asks, pretending as if they're both the same color.

"They're... They're two different colors," I chuckle.

"No. No they aren't. What're you talking about?" She asks, laughing casually.

"Okay... Uh... Moving on again! On a scale of one to Bay Rossey, how prepared are you for the Games?" I ask her, grinning.

"Beyond Bay Rossey. Beyond her mental capacity. Beyond her inner blonde," Lotsear laughs, and a roar of laughter from the crowd follows.

I begin to laugh as well, wiping at my eyes. Lotsear winks at the cameras, really working her inner arrogance.

"So, on a scale of one to ten... Ten being the best... How much do you like your Stylist?" I ask.

"Oh, I love him! He makes me look great! Eleven!" Lotsear laughs.

"Good! Good! And a final question... Why should people sponsor you?"

Lotsear stands up.

"Because I'm awesome! I'm strong, I'm smart, and I won't hesitate to make a kill!" She exclaims, throwing her arms out into the air.

The audience goes berserk.

"Woo! Ladies and gentlemen, Lotsear Maver!" I laugh, raising her hand into the air.

She walks off stage, and I laugh. Then, the boy from Four comes on stage. Kai Drave. He wears his hair spiked up, and he sports a light blue suit with a green bow tie.

"Welcome, Kai. How are you tonight?" I ask.

"Absolutely fantastic!" Kai says, shaking my hand.

We both take our seats.

"So, Kai. How are you feeling about going into the Games with your sister's girlfriend?" I ask, "It must be tough."

"I do feel bad, but they both knew I was going to volunteer this year... And I think Lotsear just... I don't know about Lotsear. I mean, maybe she acted on impulse when Kalliroe got picked..." He replies.

"I see. And, if your sister was going into the Games instead of Lotsear, how would you feel?" I ask him, scratching the back of my neck.

"I'd be devastated. I wouldn't even have volunteered..." Kai says.

"Mhm... And who is on your radar, for the Arena?"

"I think the boy from Six, definitely... The girl from Seven... The boy from Twelve, surprisingly enough... And, the boy from Three and the boy from Two. Oh, and the boy from Seven. They all look like the ones to beat. Then, from there, I'll wing it." He grins confidently.

"Right! Now, Kai, have you allied with Lotsear, yet?" I ask him with a chuckle.

"Uh... No... No... We haven't allied." He sighs.

"And are you going to?"

"I'm not sure..."

"Well, we hope you make up your mind before tomorrow... Anyway, that's all the time we have for you. So, let's say goodbye! Kai Drave!" I announce, holding his arm up in the air, then shaking his hand and watching him walk off stage.

The girl from Five comes on stage next. Talon Kotka. She's dressed in a sleek, white gown that cascades down to her ankles, and reveals her shoes. Which are sparkling white pumps. She waves to the crowd, then sits down and shakes my hand.

"Welcome, Miss Kotka! How are you liking the Capitol?" I ask.

"It's very bright," Talon says.

The crowd laughs, and she looks out to them, lifting an eyebrow. Probably confused. I think she was being honest... Oh well! Next question.

"Alright, Talon. We all know that you and Alister are close, and we know that you two are friends. When did the friendship start? Like, when did you two get really close?" I ask Talon, patting her shoulder awkwardly.

"I think around first grade..." Talon replies briefly.

"Okay, first grade," I echo, "And how did you feel when you heard his name called?"

"Oh, boy... I was _pissed_! I told him not to tesserae, but he ran off and did it anyway!" Talon exclaims, a bit of anger crawling over her face.

"Why were you so upset?" I ask.

"Because... Because I always look out for my family. My brothers and sister. I never want them to tesserae, even Alister!" Talon is yelling now, gesturing as she goes.

"Well, a final question for you, Miss Kotka..." I say.

"Shoot." Talon nods.

"We want to know... Are you and Alister going to be allies in the Arena?"

"We already agreed on it." Talon smiles.

"Fantastic! Ladies and gentlemen, Talon Kotka from District Five!" I laugh, holding her arm up for all to see.

We shake hands, and she walks off stage in her dainty heels. Then, I'm informed once more of the next Tribute arrival. Alister Rain. I see the fiery red mane of hair make its way up the steps, onto the stage. Then, I see Alister. He wears a tuxedo with a little red corsage. I smile, shaking his hand.

"Greetings, Alister." I smile.

"Greetings, earthling." Alister replies in a robotic voice.

There's that attitude I heard rumors about. He chuckles, and the audience laughs very hard, then he takes his seat.

"May I say, you look quite divine tonight?" I ask him.

"You may say that, yes. And, I must congratulate you on being the first man in the history of Panem to pull of a bump-it. Good job." Alister laughs.

"Well, thanks. Anyway, let's move on to the questions, shall we?" I ask, trying to ignore his comments.

"We shall." The fiery haired boy says.

"Do you think Talon is still mad at you? For taking tesserae before the Reaping?" I ask Alister, watching him toy with the corsage on his suit.

"Does Bay Rossey have a big mouth?" Alister shoots back with ease, leaning back in his seat.

This brings another fresh wave of laughter from the crowd, and Alister is bathing in his own glory. This kid will definitely get sponsors. He's too good. Too good!

"Well, Alister... What did you think of the Chariot outfits?"

"Oh, man. They were... Just..." Alister tries to think of some way to describe them, "Like, I didn't hate them... But I didn't love them... Is there a word for that?" He asks me.

"I'm not sure." I reply.

He snaps his fingers, then nods to me. "Suckish! That's a good one." He laughs, and the crowd does too.

"Alister, Alister, Alister... So, may I ask you something?" I say.

"Isn't that what this interview is for?" He chuckles.

"Of course! But, do you think you will get sponsors?" I ask him, brushing back a fallen strand of my hair.

"Is that a rhetorical question?" He grins, and then the crowd goes wild.

I stand up, then shake his hand and laugh.

"What a treat it was, having you here. Thank you! Ladies and gentlemen from District Five, Alister Rain!" I yell, reaching his hand to the ceiling.

The crowd cheers, and then I hear someone informing me of the next Tribute. The girl from District Six. Waverly Mendez. She walks on stage in a red dress, covered in pink glitter. And her hair is curled. She has on pink high heels, and a few red bracelets on.

"Welcome, Waverly!" I say.

"Thank you, Cadmus. It's wonderful to be here with you." Waverly replies, shaking my hand and taking a seat.

She crosses her legs, placing her hands on her lap.

"So, Waverly, do you have any relationships back home in District Six?" I ask the young girl, looking at her bright red earrings.

"Um, no. No, I don't. I have a lot of friends, though." Waverly smiles.

"Oh, that's good, too." I chuckle, "And who's your favorite on the prep team?"

"My mentor!" Waverly exclaims.

"Fantastic! And what District had your favorite Chariot outfit?"

"I really loved District Four. They had amazing outfits!" Waverly grins.

"That _is _a favorite." I laugh, "Anyway, what has been your favorite thing about the Capitol?"

"Definitely the colors... And I like some of the dresses I see!" Waverly says.

"Amazing! Waverly, who is your least favorite Career Tribute?" I ask her, curiosity pouring from my words.

"Well, actually, it's probably got to be... Sterling Peeters. He's messed up." Waverly says, nodding her head slowly.

"Interesting... And, a final question for you, miss Mendez... What will be your strengths in the Arena?"

"I'm extremely manipulative, I'm smart, and I'm agile. As well as good with knives... So, I'm a possible threat." Waverly says.

I take her hand, then stand up.

"Well, we all look forward to seeing you in action. Ladies and gentlemen, Waverly Mendez!"

The audience cheers, and then another favorite, Carter Woods, walks on stage. He has a black skin tight shirt on, showing his muscles. He wears black jeans, and dress shoes. He shakes my hand, and the audience goes completely wild for him.

"Welcome, Mr. Woods." I smile.

"Thank you, Cadmus. It's an honor to be here!" He says.

"Alright, Carter. I'm going to ask you a few questions." I explain.

"Sounds good." Carter smiles back at me.

"What was the first thing you thought about... When your name got called in the Reaping?" I ask.

"My little sister... I thought about her the second I heard my name..." Carter sighs.

"Yes? Now, we all know that you and your sister are very close... But, how close are you?"

"We're closer than anything." Carter replies, nodding once.

"How sweet... And what was the last thing she said to you?" I ask.

"She told me she loved me, too... And it broke my heart to say goodbye." Carter says sadly, a single tear rolling down his cheek.

The audience awes, and Carter wipes at his tears.

"And if she's watching right now, what would you want to say to her?"

"I just want you to know that I love you, and that I'll see you in a few weeks..." He says, blowing the camera a kiss.

"A final question for you, Carter." I say.

"Go ahead." Carter sniffles, wiping at his nose.

"Do you want your sister to watch? When you're in the Arena?" I ask Carter.

"I do, but I don't. I want her to know I'm okay, but I don't want her to see me d-" He cuts himself off, probably wishing she isn't watching now, anyway.

"We understand, Carter. Thank you for being here," I say, taking his hand and holding it into the air, "Capitol citizens, I give you Carter Woods of District Six!"

The crowd gets on their feet, cheering and clapping and whistling. Tears even stream their faces. I can tell Carter is a definite favorite. Who wouldn't love somebody so sweet? Carter leaves the stage, and the girl from Seven with the gorgeous blue eyes walks on stage. She wears a dress that matches the turquoise color of her eyes. She has blue, dangling earrings, and even little blue strappy heels. She shakes my hand, smiling brightly, and sitting down.

"Welcome, Jade. Lovely to have you," I greet her warmly.

"Thank you," Jade replies quietly.

"Anyway, Jade... We're noticing a bit of sparks coming from you and Douglas. Can you tell us anything about that?" I ask the beautiful brunette girl.

Her cheeks turn a dull red, and she giggles. "Well, me and Doug are friends... And I can't believe I've never met him before. He's really sweet and he's teaching me how to make friends... And how to be more outgoing." Jade smiles timidly.

"That's sweet! And, do you think you'll be allies in the Games?"

"It depends on what he wants," Jade shrugs, the shy smile never leaving her face.

"Very nice. Jade, what do you think the Arena will be, this year?" I ask.

"Oh, definitely something... Twisted." Jade nods, her eyes a bit wide.

"A nice guess... So, Jade... Do you think Douglas staged that kiss at Chariot Night? Or was it real?" I ask, watching her cheeks turn red again.

"Oh, jeez... Uh... I'm going to have to go with both?" She giggles.

"And, lastly, we'd all like to know... Are you and Douglas going to become a couple, or what?" I laugh, and then the crowd laughs with me.

Jade turns red even more, and her eyes sparkle. "Uh... I don't know?" She laughs, scratching the tip of her nose.

"Well, we'll have to wait and find out. Ladies and gentlemen, Jade Arctics!" I announce, holding her arm up for the crowd to see.

The audience cheers and then Jade leaves the stage. Her little dress swaying behind her. Then, Douglas walks on stage. He sports a light green tuxedo, blue tie, and black dress shoes. The Capitol women go insane when he walks on stage, and he waves casually, shaking my hand, then sitting down.

"Nice to meet you, Douglas! It's a joy to have you here," I smile.

"Nice to meet you, too. I'm glad I could join you," Douglas nods.

"So, Douglas, what are your thoughts on Jade?" I ask.

"Well, she's a beautiful girl and all. She's funny, cute, and sweet. But we're just friends." Douglas chuckles.

"Oh, alright... Well, would you ever date Jade?" I grin deviously.

"Probably." Douglas says, getting a bunch of oohs from the crowd.

"And are you and Jade going to ally?" I ask him.

"I would love to ally with her, if she's alright with it. I mean, the whole time we've been here we've been training together. So, possibly." Douglas smiles.

"Good! Good! Very, good! Douglas, what's your favorite weapon?" I quiz him, drumming my fingers on the back of my hand.

"Definitely a spear... Or bow and arrow," Douglas nods again, a smile on his face.

"Fantastic. And one last question: Do you have any relationships back in District Seven?"

"Nope, not at all," Douglas laughs, standing and shaking my hand.

"That's all the time we have for you, Douglas. Thanks for joining us! Douglas Hilgenbrinck!" I yell his name, showing him off to the audience.

They cheer, and then Douglas walks off the stage. Then comes the girl from District Eight, Cordelia Bonnell. She wears a little silver dress with rhinestones lining the top, rhinestone earrings, and even some rhinestone dazzled pumps. I chuckle, taking a step towards her and shaking her hand.

"Welcome, Cordelia! Welcome! Welcome! Welcome!" I say.

"Thank you, Cadmus. It's a pleasure to join you tonight," Cordelia grins, sitting down and waving to the crowd.

"Cordelia, we all want to know... Is there any romance going on between you and another Tribute? Maybe Toro?" I ask.

Cordelia giggles, "Oh, no. No, there's no romance. But, if you wanna see romance... District Seven is the one to watch." She chuckles.

"Sure thing! And, Cordelia! Do you have any siblings back in District Eight?" I ask her, brushing my palm along the chair.

"Yes, actually. I have a younger sister named Diane that I love very much," Cordelia replies.

"Yeah? Well, we all say hello to her! Right, folks?" I say to the crowd, watching them stand and start to cheer in unison.

"See? Yes, we love the siblings of potential Victors!" I announce to Cordelia, nodding my head.

Cordelia laughs, smiling brightly at me.

"Anyway, Cordelia... What weapon do you benefit most from?"

"Definitely knives... That will be my weapon in the Arena." Cordelia says with a bit of confidence.

"Very nice. Very nice. Now, Cordelia, what are the odds that you will be in an alliance in the Arena?" I ask, cracking my knuckles quietly.

"Likely, I suppose. I may or may not join an alliance." She replies.

"Well, we hope you decide! Ladies and gentlemen, District Eight's Cordelia Bonnell!" I say, shaking her hand and holding it into the air.

The crowd goes hungry for the next Tribute, standing on their feet and cheering. The clapping is echoing through the enormous interview center, and then Cordelia waltzes off stage. Toro Breckenridge then comes on stage, sporting a silver tuxedo with a rhinestone tie. His cheeks are bright, bright red. Almost blood red from his nervousness, and he timidly waves to the crowd. He shakes my hand, then sits down.

"Welcome to the Capitol, Toro! Are you enjoying your stay?" I ask.

"Um... Y-Yeah," He smiles shyly, nodding slowly.

"Aw, Toro! Why so embarrassed?" I smile, giving his shoulder a nudge.

"Uh..." Toro's face turns even more red, and he looks around.

"It's alright, it's alright. So, Toro... What'd your family tell you during the goodbyes?" I ask him.

"M-My dad told me that life for fat people is short..." Toro stutters.

The crowd begins to crack up with laughter, and Toro offers me a shy smile.

"Funny! Funny! Now, Toro, how many sisters did you say you had?" I ask him.

"Uh, I have two sisters... Lucia and Daria." He says.

"And I heard they're twins?" I add.

"Yes." He nods again.

"Interesting family, then. Is it hectic?" I chuckle.

"Oh, yes..." Toro says, the blush returning to his face.

"And a final question for you, my boy..." I say, "Do you have any skills that you'll be showing to us in the Arena?"

"I also use knives, like Cordelia. That's my best thing," Toro smiles, finally confident with something.

"Lovely! We look forward to tomorrow, and thank you! Ladies and gentlemen, Toro, Panem's Blushing Boy!" I declare to the audience, holding his hand high above his head.

The crowd cheers, and Toro walks off stage. His silver tuxedo shining as he moves. He walks down the stairs, then District Nine is up. Alex Fahey sports a golden dress with silver heels and a gold and silver striped headband in her curled hair. She waves to the crowd, smiling and even blowing a few kisses. Then, she shakes my hand and sits down.

"Hello, Alex! It's very nice to meet you," I say.

"Nice to meet you, too." She smiles at me.

"Alright, Alex. I'm just going to ask you a few questions. Sound okay?" I ask.

"Sounds like a plan." Alex nods.

"What was your favorite part of the train rides?" I smile.

"Oh, definitely the food! Are you kidding?" Alex laughs, and the crowd laughs along with her.

"Haha! Funny! And yes, the food is rather delicious here in the Capitol! Anyway, what were your opinions on the Chariot Outfits?" I ask her, remembering the gold and silver theme, which she seems to be showing off tonight.

"I think I liked them. Yeah, they were good. Not as bad as District Ten." She shrugs.

"Nice! And, Alex, who's your favorite Tribute in this batch so far?" I ask.

"Oh, that's a toughie. Definitely not Cyan. But, I think... I think the girl from Five is alright," Alex smiles.

"Very nice! Do you think you'll ally with this girl?" I ask with excitement.

"I might. I'm not sure, though. But I like your enthusiasm!" Alex chuckles.

"Why thank you! And one more final question, Alex... Have you had any run-ins with Cyan?" I ask her.

"Actually, yes. We were just arriving in the Capitol when he shoved me onto the floor. So I beat the crap out of him!" Alex says, standing and smiling as I shake her hand.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Alex Fahey!" I holler, the smile never leaving my face.

Alex waves as she walks off stage, head held high. Then, I see Cyan come on stage. He wears a gold suit with a silver tie and silver shoes. He shakes my hand, waving once to the crowd, then sits down.

"Hello, Cyan. I've heard many things about you," I laugh.

"Yeah, and I've heard many things about you, too. Like your bump-it." Cyan says, jabbing a finger at my hair.

I swat his hand away, "Anyway, do you think you have any idea on the idea of the twist this year?"

"Pffft. I don't know. Something stupid, like they always do. It won't make the Games any different, though." Cyan says cockily, shrugging his shoulders.

"Oh, alright." I chuckle nervously, then ask another question, "If you win this, what do you want to accomplish in life?"

"I want to go home, live in a big house, and be surrounded by women." Cyan winks, and the crowd goes nuts.

The applause is overwhelming, the whistles, and the yelling is otherworldly. I can't believe they're eating this up.

"Sounds nice." I laugh, "So out of all the people back home, who do you miss the most?"

"Nobody. I provide for myself." Cyan scoffs.

"I see. And, who will be your biggest competition in the Arena?"

"Competition?" Cyan gasps, "What competition?"

The crowd begins to laugh again, busting up all around.

"A final question for you, Cyan... Do you think you can win this?" I ask.

"_Can_ win this? I will win this, Cadmus." Cyan grins, standing up and shaking my hand.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Cyan Akins!" I call out, watching the crowd come to their feet an applaud the arrogant young man.

He walks off stage, waving to the crowd and blowing a final kiss. Then, District Ten begins. The girl, Bandit, walks on stage with a white, flowing ballgown. She looks amazing in it, and the crowd goes insane for the girl. They cheer and applaud and whistle. Bandit waves, smiling excitedly. Then, she shakes my hand and we sit down.

"Welcome, Bandit! Welcome! So, miss, are you afraid of the Games?" I ask her.

Bandit shakes her head, ruffling her skirt. "I'm not afraid. I may be afraid at the face of death, but as of now... No. I have no fear." Bandit says with a smile.

"Good! Good! And what is the best thing about the Games? To you?"

"I think the best thing about the Games is seeing the Interviews. I mean, you get to see what people have to say, and it's really interesting," Bandit nods.

"Nice to hear! So, Bandit... Tell me... Will you be sharing with us any special skills in the Arena?" I ask with a grin.

"I like to use a bull whip. It's the thing I'm handiest with." Bandit smiles at me, brushing some straightened hair behind her shoulder.

"Awesome. And one more thing... Are you prepared? For the Games?" I smile.

"I am completely prepared," Bandit smiles.

"Fantastic. Lovely to have you! Ladies and gentlemen, Bandit Lee Highland!"

I stand up, shaking her hand and letting her wave to the crowd and walk off. Then, her District Partner, Matthew Juliann walks on stage. He's wearing a white tuxedo, black tie, and has white glitter in his hair. He looks like a Capitol person himself. Matthew shakes my hand, smiling brightly at me. He then sits down, crossing his legs.

"Hi there, Matthew." I greet him, a warm smile on my face.

"Hello, Cadmus." He says quietly, smiling timidly.

"How are you liking the Capitol?" I ask.

"I like it. It's very different than any place I ever saw. It's colorful, vibrant, and all around wonderful." Matthew says.

Quite a mouthful for somebody who comes off as being shy.

"Good! We're glad you like it! And, are you excited for the Games?"

"Oh... That's a toughie. But, I'm going to have to say yes," Matthew nods.

"What weapon do you think you'll be using?" I ask, a mischievous grin dancing across my lips.

"I'm alright with a slingshot," Matthew says, lifting his eyebrows.

"So modest!" I laugh, patting his shoulder.

"Well..." He chuckles, his cheeks turning a little red.

"Matthew, do you have any siblings?" I ask him, still patting his shoulder.

"I do, actually. I have five siblings. One of which is my twin," Matthew smiles, poking at his fingernails.

"Interesting!" I laugh, "And a final question, I think we all wanna know..."

"Yeah?" Matthew asks.

"Will you be killing anyone in the Games? Do you think?" I ask.

"It depends. If they try and hit me first, I'll kill them." Matthew nods.

"Very nice! Ladies and gentlemen, Matthew Juliann from District Ten!" I announce, listening to the crowd yell and cheer.

Matthew Juliann walks off stage, slapping a high five to the girl from District Eleven. Then, she walks on stage. She sports a short, mid-thigh dress that is a gentle green. It sparkles and glitters like her other dress from Chariot Night, and her shoes do the same. She shakes my hand, then sits down.

"So, Alecta! How are you tonight?" I grin.

"I'm good. How about yourself?" Alecta replies, brushing her hands along the glittering fabric of her dress.

"I'm fantastic, thank you! Now, Alecta, on a scale of one to ten... How tough do you think you are?" I ask.

"Probably an eight?" Alecta nods slowly.

"Oh, sounds good... And are you a hunter? Or a hider?" I ask her, watching as she brushes some of her extremely curled hair behind her ear.

"I'm probably a bit of each. I'm definitely not afraid to hunt, but a hunter must take a break every once and a while." Alecta replies.

"What do you mean?" I ask, raising a quizzical eyebrow.

She pauses, then speaks up again.

"Sometime, someday... The hunter must become the hunted." She says, keeping direct eye contact with me.

"I think that is a quote that will go down in Hunger Games history," I nod, a smile covering my face.

"You are very wise." I add.

"Thank you." Alecta replies.

"Alecta, do you have any romance with another Tribute? Or even someone at home?" I ask.

"No. Nope. Zip." She says almost immediately.

"Well, even on your own, we wish you the best of luck." I say, taking her hand and standing up.

"Ladies and gentlemen, District Eleven's Alecta Cotts!" I smile, holding her hand up in the air.

The crowd cheers, clapping, whistling, and chanting her name. I chuckle, waving to the crowd as well. Alecta walks off the stage, and her District Partner comes off stage. He wears a little green suit with sparkling black dress shoes and a black tie sparkling tie. He waves to the crowd, then sits down and shakes my hand.

"Very nice to meet you, Mr. Steel." I smile.

"Nice to meet you, too." Marius nods.

"So, Marius... How do you like the Capitol?"

"I love it! The fashion is just... Mind blowing!" Marius announces, gesturing out to the crowd.

"Yes, we love it too! And, that's a nice shiner you got there... Want to tell us about it?" I chuckle, pointing to his black eye.

"Oh, see... We were training this morning, and I tried a tuck roll. It's like, a technique to get away from a kick... Anyway, yeah. I ducked and tried to bring my knees to my chest, ended up kicking myself in the face anyhow." Marius laughs, and then the crowd gives him a sympathetic gasp.

"Aw, well, we apologize. Marius, tell us... Who would you want to see if you could pick right this second? It can be anyone." I say.

"Brent." Marius replies in a heartbeat.

"Brent? Who is that?" I smile.

"He's my... He's my boyfriend." Marius spills out.

The crowd lets out a few 'aw' sounds, and then Marius picks at his fingernails nervously.

"Marius, let me tell you something... You could go to the Arena... And you can hide... And then, in the final two, let them go at eachother. And you'll still be hidden." I smile at him, nodding slowly.

"That's actually a pretty good idea." Marius chuckles.

"Yes! And, a final thing to ask... If you win, what will you do?"

"Cry with happiness." Marius laughs, then shakes my hand and stands up with me.

I hold his hand above his head, and the crowd begins to cheer again.

"Marius Steel! District Eleven!" I announce to them.

Then, Marius is walking off stage. I then realize we're at District Twelve. The final couple of interviews. I take a few steps toward the girl as she walks on stage. She's a bit short, and very scrawny. She shakes my hand quickly, sitting down and shyly smiling. She wears a black dress with red heels and a red head band. She plays with the white sparkles on her nails, and then looks up at me.

"You seem a little shy, Anali." I chuckle.

"Just a little," She says with a shrug.

"So, Anali, how many sisters did you say you have?" I ask her.

"Uh... I have four sisters. Sabine, Kyli, Alli, and Siri." Anali says, counting them off on her fingers.

"Yes? And do you miss them all?" I ask.

"Of course. I love them." Anali giggles.

"Well, Anali. You'll be able to see them soon. If you go into the Arena and win."

"I don't think that'll happen... I'm not much of a killer." Anali says, flexing her arms that show zero muscle.

"Aw, it's alright, though. I mean, even some people kill at desperate times." I reply.

"Yeah, but... I'm not sure my sisters could see that." Anali sighs.

"You really love your sisters, huh?" I ask.

"Definitely."

"Can I ask one more thing?"

"Of course." She replies shortly.

"Are you and Pyralis a couple?" I grin.

"No! We're just friends!" Anali says, covering her face as it turns bright red.

"How cute! Ladies and gentlemen... Anali Blaise!" I say, holding her hand up and then shaking it.

Anali bounds off the stage, her hair bouncing after her as she walks down the steps. Then, Pyralis walks on stage. Last interview of the night. He wears a flame red suit with black dress shoes. Pyralis waves, then shakes my hand and sits beside me.

"Pyralis... Can I ask something?" I immediately say.

"Sure, Cadmus."

"What was with your Reaping outfit?!" I laugh.

"Oh! That..." Pyralis chuckles, his cheeks blushing a bit, "Yeah, I lost a bet... With my friend."

"Interesting. Pyralis, what is your favorite weapon?" I ask him.

"Definitely an axe. I love axes." Pyralis laughs.

"Lovely! And, what Tribute looks deadliest? To you?"

"Probably... Probably that boy from Four... Or the boy from Two. Or even the boy from Seven or One. All look pretty menacing. Except, District One doesn't seem too bad." Pyralis shrugs.

"Sounds like it's reasonable... Do you have any siblings?" I ask.

"I have two, actually. One's married and moved away from us. And one's only thirteen." Pyralis replies.

"How cute! A Seam girl. Anyway, Pyralis, a final question for you, my boy." I say.

"Yes?"

"Do you think you'll win the Games?" I ask him.

"I think I have a good shot." Pyralis smiles.

"Fantastic! I love the confidence! Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for District Twelve's Pyralis Kolton!" I yell, holding his hand up high and waving it around for the crowd to see.

The crowd cheers, the lights go out, and I walk off stage. The interviews had ended.


	19. The Bloodbath

**Okay! It's the first day in the Arena! Now, those of you who know how I write, know how this will go. My newbies, just know: I pick every Tribute POV in the Arena at random. The chapter after that, I do the ones that weren't featured. Alright? Alright. This chapter will start out with a Tribute getting a bit of a surprise when they hear about the twist... Review for extra sponsor points. Sponsor question will be at the end of the chapter! Love you guys! :) ~Squintz**

_Day One of The Games -_

**District Eight Tribute: Toro Breckenridge**

"Allies?" I ask, watching as Cordelia spits all the milk from her mouth.

"Yes, it's a minor change. Relax." Marcus says, keeping his cool. As always.

"Minor? If you ask me, that's major. Twelve more contestants in the Games? Well, Toro. It was nice knowing you." Cordelia grimaces.

"Ditto on that, Cordelia." I reply.

"Guys... Really... Come on. It's fine. Uh... Toro... Looks like you'll be with that shy girl from District Twelve... I think her name's Anali. Anyway, you'll meet your ally right before the Games." Marcus says, looking over a sheet of paper.

"Wait? What do you mean? I thought we each got our own ally." I say.

"No. You get assigned an ally from a District, then an ally plucked from the Capitol." Marcus replies, taking a sip of water, then reading out Cordelia's.

She's got her fingers crossed.

"Cordelia, you're with the boy from Seven... Douglas. And, your ally will be meeting you before the Games as well." Marcus nods contently.

Cordelia blows out a sigh of relief. At least she got someone good. My cheeks turn red. I'll probably die of embarrassment in the Arena, anyway. Anali can barely operate a knife! How are we supposed to get far? And with an ally? Well, this could benefit me... But... It depends.

"When are we going? Down to the Arena?" I ask.

"Right now." Marcus replies, standing up from the table.

"Alright. Let's hit it," Cordelia says, following after him.

"Sure..." I say, my heart starting to race as we walk into the elevator with Marcus, and I get my final glance at the 8th floor of the Capitol Building.

**District Two Tribute: Emiliana Vincere**

My heart is pounding as the woman standing in front of me pulls the safety bars over my head. The hovercraft engine purrs, and the second woman in the hovercraft injects my arm with a thick needle. I growl, favoring it away once the needle is removed from my arm, watching the blinking light slowly disappear. I frown, then remember I'm going into the Arena. A wave of excitement crashes over me, and I turn to the boy next to me. Alister Rain. My new partner in crime.

"If we're going to be allies, we better make nice fast." I say.

"Alright. Favorite color?" Alister asks as the lights go dim in the hovercraft and it begins to lift off the ground.

"Black. Favorite food?" I answer quickly.

"Pie." Alister grins, "Favorite weapon?"

"My shark knives. When killing are you short and to the point, or do you make your kills suffer?" I smile.

"Short and to the point if I think they deserve it. Suffer if I hate them. Hunting or camping?"

"Hunting." I reply, shaking his hand.

"Okay, new friend. Think our ally will be a total freak?" He asks me.

"Coming from the Capitol, definitely." I nod my head.

"Yeah, you're right." Alister says.

"Well, we'll know soon enough..." I shrug.

"Yup." I sigh, eager to get to the excitement, already.

**District Six Tribute: Carter Woods**

"Just down that hall," A Peacekeeper says, gesturing to a hallway.

I walk down, passing all the heavily armed Peacekeepers that line the walls. Stuffing my hands in the pockets of my cargo pants. The doors that I pass are all marked with District numbers. I pass One, Three, Seven, Nine, and Twelve. Then, I see Six. And I walk through the door, seeing my stylist. She holds a navy blue jacket, and pair of combat boots.

"Here, you can put these on. They'll be better than those," She says, gesturing to my slip on shoes.

I chuckle, then pull them off. She hands me the combat boots, and I put them on. Then, I tie them up and stand up again. She slides the jacket on, and then lets me turn to face her. I feel chills run down my spine, and I wipe at my running nose.

"You'll be okay," She nods, "Remember your sister... She needs you."

"I know," I murmur.

"Oh, and we have somebody coming with you..." The stylist says, gesturing to the door.

A young man with brown and blondish hair walks through the door. He stands just as high as I do, pretty much. He looks muscular, which could benefit me in the Arena. I shake his hand, and then scratch the back of my neck.

"_Twenty seconds..."_

"I'm Zacharius Stanton. But you can just call me Zach." The boy says, ignoring the voice.

"I'm Carter. Carter Woods." I reply.

"How old are you?" I ask.

"Seventeen." He shrugs.

"Nice."

"Look, I'm glad you guys are buddy buddy now, but..." My stylist gestures to the tubes, and they slide open.

"_Ten seconds..."_ A voice says.

"Alright, lets go..." I say, the good attitude I had five seconds ago beginning to fade.

"Let's do this." Zach says, walking into one of the tubes.

I step into the one beside him, and then the plastic closes around me. I wave to my stylist, a sad smile covering her face. She waves back, and then all I see is bright light and concrete all around me. Then, the golden glow of the Cornucopia appears. And all the Tributes and allies around me look ready and fierce.

**District Four Tribute: Lotsear Maver **

_49, 48, 47, 46, 45..._

I grin as I stand on my plate, looking around. I turn to my ally, Aliya Ligone. Then, I look to my left and see Cyan Akins. My ally... God, I hate him. I find myself praying that somebody will hack his head off in the next couple seconds. I brush some hair behind my shoulder, the annoying short ponytail getting brushed along my back from the gentle breeze. I can't believe they picked this Arena. A forest? How creative.

There's a fairly mossy area right behind me. I look around, seeing an enormous mountain. How could they fit that in here? Witchcraft... It already looks like it's afternoon in the Arena, and all the Tributes are eager to play the "Game". I look out to the Cornucopia, seeing the holographic image of the numbers.

_36, 35, 34, 33, 32, 31..._

How long is this going to go on? I have people to meet up with. Emiliana stands sideways from me, waving. I wave back, then focus on the Cornucopia again. Any weapons I can benefit from? I see Emiliana eyeing up her knives, which sit on a crate beside a very nice sword. I know I'll have to beat Bay to it, because she loves swords. And it's her best weapon choice.

_10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5..._

Here we go...

_3, 2, 1... Gong!_

"Yeah, baby!" Sterling yells, running right for a weapon that lies in front of my sword.

I run after Sterling, heading for my sword. I watch Emiliana snatch up her knives, grab the handles, and then begins to snatch up packs. Emiliana's ally, who has blue and purple hair, goes running after her. I think her name is Skyler. Anyway, I keep on running. And I finally reach the sword, picking it up and watching Sterling head right for the boy from District Five.

**District Three Tribute: Neon Watts**

I dart from my plate, adrenaline filling my body, even though I don't want to be here. I then feel someone snatch up my arm, and it's only Talia. Mine and Bay's ally. I turn and see Kai Drave with a little girl on his shoulders and a pick axe for Pyralis in his hands, running into the forest with his partner, Pyralis Kolton. The little girl holds two medium sized packs, and Pyralis holds a larger, green pack with a spear for Kai.

I pick up a neon blue pack that must be for me. What else would be neon? I turn around and see Waverly Mendez getting her throat slit by Bay Rossey. Bay watches at Waverly falls, and then plunges the knife over and over into her chest. I shake my head, watching in horror as blood pours from the knife every time Bay pulls it out. Then, I look and see Toro Breckenridge with a little boy, who looks to be the age of eight, trying to call Anali after them. Anali grabs a pack, but is then tackled by Emiliana.

Emiliana pins her back to the floor, and then tries to stab Anali in the face. Anali squeals and helplessly delivers random punches to Emiliana's face. But they have no effect. Emiliana keeps trying to stab Anali, but it continues to get stuck in the short grass beneath her. Anali lets out another squeal, and then Emiliana forces the knife across Anali's throat. Anali clenches her throat, blood beginning to pour from her throat, and then even spurt from her mouth.

She sits there choking to death, and then she goes motionless after a while of suffering. I run into the Cornucopia, hiding behind an enormous crate and peeking out to the bloodbath. Matthew Juliann grabs a metal slingshot from a crate, and then turns to run off, but is tackled relentlessly by Hunter D'Agosto. Hunt apologizes, saying he has to do this for Nick... Whoever that is. Then, he gets his spiked mace taken by another Tribute, I can't tell who. So he picks up a rock and begins to beat the living bejeezus out of Matt. Matt tries to fight him, but is overpowered. Hunter delivers a final blow to Matthew's forehead, and he's out like a light.

I get up, running after Talia and regrouping with Bay. Then, we head off into the forest. Only after hearing the booms of the cannon.

_Boom! Boom! Boom!_

__ **R.I.P.**

**Waverly Mendez**

**Anali Blaise**

**Matthew Juliann**

**Look at the website for the new page.**

**SPONSOR QUESTION: Which mutt does not get killed during the final Bloodbath?**

**A. Clove's Mutt**

**B. Rue's Mutt**

**C. Thresh's Mutt**

**D. Glimmer's Mutt**

**ACCEPTED ONLY THROUGH P.M.**


	20. Day Two of The Games

**Woot! I finally got to take my bandages off my eye, but it hasn't healed yet. At least things will be surely spelled right in this chapter! :3 Anyway, it's the second day of the Games! I hope you enjoy! Read and review! Another sponsor question below! May the odds be ever in your favour ;) ~Squintz**

_Day Two of The Games -_

**District Twelve Tribute: Pyralis Kolton**

"This place is actually sort of peaceful," I say, hoisting Alia onto my shoulders.

We begin to walk, venturing towards a new camping spot in the mossy area. Our little ally had been exceptionally silent the entire time. She only spoke when she became energetic. Other than that, she was shy and quiet. But, I'd quickly become her favorite. Mostly, because Kai was just being serious about the Games. All he wanted to do was stay out of harm's wake. I knew it was for the good of Alia, though. Neither of us wanted her to see blood. I lean down, picking up a little purple flower and handing it to her.

Alia plays with the purple flower, tying the stem and then putting it in my hair.

"You look pretty, Pie," She giggles.

"Oh my god, Pyralis... You're almost as pretty as a princess." Kai gasps, making Alia laugh.

"No, Kai... I have a confession..." I say seriously.

Alia falls silent.

"I... I am secretly a princess..." I announce, walking along after Kai.

Alia gasps and then Kai just laughs and shakes his head.

"You're a dork, Pyralis." Kai snickers.

"Does that mean Pie isn't a Princess?" Alia says, resting her chin atop my head.

"No, he's a princess. Don't worry. He's just a goofy princess," Kai nods.

"Good!" Alia squeaks, hugging my head and wrapping her arms around my face.

"I can't see, silly." I laugh.

"Sorry, Pie." Alia giggles.

"Shh." Kai says, sticking his arm out.

I bump into it, and then stop. Alia goes completely motionless, silent, and alert. I slowly move her down from my shoulders, setting her behind Kai's leg, then standing behind her. Blocking her from any danger. Or whatever Kai heard. Then, I see it.

"Get down." I whisper, watching Alia lie down on her stomach.

I get down beside her, pulling her underneath my arm and guarding her. Kai lies down beside Alia as well, watching in the distance. Bay Rossey, Neon Watts, and their ally are strolling through the woods. All heavily armed. Neon is pouring little test tubes into others, creating something that she tells Bay not to touch.

"What is it?" Bay says, stopping in front of the two girls.

"It's a poison mixture. The highest in its class. It cannot break, it cannot touch your skin. If it touches your skin, it'll seep through even the tiniest cut and fill your bloodstream. The second you've realized it..." Neon snaps her fingers, "You're gone."

Wow. That's the most I've heard Neon say since I met her.

"Why-" Bay begins, but their ally cuts her off.

"Good. We can benefit from that Capitol stuff. Keep it safe." The purple haired girl says.

"Alright," Neon pulls a water bottle from her neon pack that must be empty, sliding the little clear tube into the bottle.

"Ugh, whatever. Let's keep going. There's gotta be someone around here we can kill. Less competition, more odds of survival." Bay says, beginning to trek in the opposite direction of us.

"Sure thing, crazy." The ally says, following after Neon and Bay.

We wait until we can't hear the crunch of dying foliage underneath their boots. Then, we get up.

"Poison? How'd she get poison?" I ask, shaking my head.

"Her pack looks like the only neon colored one in the entire Arena." Kai replies, stepping over a mossy rock.

I lift Alia back onto my shoulders, stepping after him. Kai crosses a mossy log that sits over a little creek.

"Hm... She's a smart little girl..." I nod.

"Yeah... Let's fill up," Kai says, leaning down and pulling two water bottles from his pack.

He sets them in the stream, putting two rocks at the bottom of each bottle so they'll sit still. Then, he sits and digs through his pack again. When the bottles are full, he pulls them from the water and drops some iodine in each one.

"So, what do you have?" I ask, sitting down beside Kai and letting Alia squirm off my shoulders.

Alia hands me her little pack, which is a light purple color. She sits down beside me.

"Criss cross applesauce." Alia giggles, resting her head on my arm and blowing out a sigh.

I play with her two little braids, then look to Kai.

"I've got some dried meat... Some water... Rope... Uh, a bottle of iodine... A really nice pocket knife... And a sleeping bag. Oh, and some extra spear heads." Kai says.

I open up Alia's pack.

"She's got... Dried fruit, a teddy bear, a sippy cup that's completely empty... And three apples." I say, filling the sippy cup with water, then dropping some iodine into the water.

I tuck it back into her pack, and then poke her nose.

"Don't drink this yet, alright?" I ask her.

"Okay, Pie." She says, picking up the teddy bear and holding it against her little pink jacket.

"Well, I think for now we're good. And we better keep going. Plus, it'll be dark soon." Kai says, gesturing to the afternoon sun.

"Alright... Let's go. Head this way. We know Bay is going hunting in that direction." I say, nodding over to the direction they left.

"Of course." Kai says, helping Alia onto my shoulders as she clenches her teddy bear.

"Off we go," I laugh, walking along after Kai as we leave the mossy area for a new camp.

**District Seven Tribute: Douglas Hilgenbrinck**

I stroll along, tucking my hands in the pockets of my black cargo pants. The air is cool, for such a bright day. I suck in a deep breath, the crisp air flooding my nose. I brush my fingers along the soft, tall grass. The golden brown grass grazes along my legs, and then I hear a voice.

"Stop!" Cordelia announces.

"Huh?" I say.

"Stop! Look!" She says, pointing to my feet.

I look down, finally noticing that I'm standing on the edge of a medium sized lake. It's completely filled with algae in the middle, and crawling with water bugs. A few fish slide across the surface of the water, then duck back down. Dragonflies fill the sweet smelling air. I wipe at my nose, leaning down and glancing into the water.

"Uh, this lake..." I say, dipping my finger in the water, "It's kind of disgusting."

"Yeah, don't put your finger in there." Cordelia chuckles, kneeling down beside me.

Our ally, Lysander, comes and crouches down beside me. He dips two fingers in the water, swirling some algae around.

"Something makes me feel that this water isn't safe..." Lysander says, grabbing my wrist and pulling my hand from the water.

"Like what?" I ask, lifting my eyebrows.

Then, I hear a little splash, and I look out to the water. Two black, beady eyes peer out from the top of the water. Slowly moving towards us, and Lyansder goes statue still. The eyes keep moving, and the water ripples out around the figure. That's when I notice the tail, and I instantly realize it's some sort of alligator or crocodile. Hell, it could even be a mutt.

"Don't move... Don't move..." Cordelia murmurs, listening carefully.

The alligator slowly moves forward, then stops at the edge of the lake. Then, Cordelia looks down at her ankle, and her eyes almost bulge out of her head.

"What the hell is that?!" She whisper screams.

A little black bug has latched itself to her skin, and blood runs down her leg.

"It's a leech," Lysander says, calmly moving down as slow as possible, and picking a little box of matches from his pocket.

He quickly lights one, and I divert the massive gator's attention. I slowly move along the shoreline, watching it swim after me. Its soulless eyes glare into me, a thoughtful looking expression, almost a smirk, covering the animal's face. I glance back to Lysander, who holds the burning match right in front of the leech. Cordelia is as still as ever. Then, the leech falls down into the grass with a quiet thud.

"Thank you..." Cordelia says, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Thank me later, we still have the gator." Lysander mutters, walking after me.

The alligator lunges up out of the water, snapping his teeth in front of my face.

"Sh-" I start up, stumbling back, "Dear god!" Cordelia yells.

The vicious reptile jumps onto the shore line, charging at me. I scramble back across the ground, and the alligator comes wriggling across the floor after me.

"Guys!" I yell, reaching for my knife.

**District Ten Tribute: Bandit Lee Highland**

"Did you guys hear that?" Our ally, Onyx, asks.

He sticks his arms out in front of us, stopping us behind him. His knuckles turn white from his tight grip around the handle of his club.

"What?" I whisper.

"Sounded like somebody yelling..." Onyx says, grabbing my arm and pushing me forward.

"Let's go, come on." He nods, running forward.

We begin to run, keeping a steady pace. There's a small, fall colored forest that we have to run through. It's full of thick trees, enormous oaks, and many different shades of yellow, red, and orange. It's so loud with the crunch of dead leaves from the cold forest, it's impossible to cross without being heard.

"It's so loud." I say.

"Just keep going..." Alecta says quietly.

"Alri-Angh!" I yelp, being thrown to the ground by some powerful force.

I see a blur of an arm go flying past me, and then there's blood spurting from Onyx's mouth as he slams into the ground as well. A tall boy with blonde and brown hair is battling it out with Onyx on the dead leaves. Alecta starts punching viciously at the boy from Six. And then I look up, gazing at the icy blue eyes that have me paralyzed. Jade... My hands fumble down to my belt, desperately reaching for my handy little army knife. I tear it from my belt, snapping the little felt grip.

Then, a searing pain snakes through the bridge of my nose and down to the edge of my jaw. I yell in pain, noticing Jade's mouth is open and curved upward in a focused expression. I pull my empty hand out from under her knee, and then grab her jaw, putting my fingers in her mouth. She shakes her head vigorously, then closes her mouth around my fingers. Crap! Didn't think that one through! She bites down harder and harder, and I can feel the blood beginning to pour from my fingers.

"Yummy! Fingers!" Onyx yells sarcastically, clubbing Jade across the head.

Jade's eyes roll in the back of her head, and she collapses next to me. I pull my fingers out of her mouth and quickly scramble out from under her, looking at my bloody hand. Little red lines cover the spots where her teeth were chewing down on my skin. The cannon doesn't boom out, and then I look over to their ally, who is coughing on his own blood. I chew on my lip, shaking my head.

"We can't leave him here... He's going to suffocate." I say, feeling a tinge of guilt as I wipe at the enormous new gash on my face.

"Isn't that what you want?" Onyx hisses.

"No..." I murmur.

"Then sit down and fix your face. I'll take care of him," Onyx grins, slapping his hand atop the bloody club.

He walks over to the boy, and I whip around, not wanting to see the horror that Onyx will inflict on this boy. I pull some gauze from my pack, and place it over my fingers, then wrap it in bandages. Then, I pull out my water bottle, splashing a little on my face to wash off the blood. I wipe of the remains with my jacket sleeve, and then place a strip of bandages from my left eyebrow to the right side of my jaw. I blow out a sigh, then hear a cannon boom out, and turn around. Onyx wipes the dripping blood from his club, and then stands up.

"What do we do with these two?" Alecta asks, gesturing towards Carter and Jade, who lie motionless on the floor.

"Let's just leave them here... Let the other Tributes know how badass we are," Onyx nods, walking off the way we were headed.

"Well, alright..." I shrug.

**R.I.P.**

**Zacharius Stanton**

**Sponsor Question(You'll have to look up a map of Panem for this one): Where would District Eleven be situated in modern day America?**

**A. Georgia**

**B. Florida **

**C. Alabama**

**D. New York**

**ACCEPTED ONLY VIA P.M.**


	21. Day Three of The Games

**Hey guys! I'm back with Day 3! I hope you enjoy! Oh, and please check out my newest story: There's No One Left I Love. Tell me what you think! :) Anyway, you guys know the drill! Read and review for Sponsor points, I put the guide up on the site! Enjoy! ~Squintz P.S. You can now send Sponsor Gifts to Tributes in the Arena! Just P.M. Me!**

_Day Three of The Games -_

**District Seven Tribute: Jade Arctics**

I wake up to a pounding sensation in the side of my head. Blood covers my lap and my jacket, as well as the ground beneath me. I glance over to Carter, who lies unconscious on the floor. I sit up slowly, my head throbbing with pain. I swipe at my nose, then make sure I don't get up all the way, crawling to Carter. He mutters something, and then I poke at his arm.

"Carter..." I murmur.

"Mmph..." Carter says, swatting a hand at me.

"Carter. Get up." I say, shaking him a bit harder.

"What?" Carter asks, smacking his lips together and stretching.

"We knocked out... Where's Zach?" I ask.

"Uh... I don't... I don't know." Carter says sleepily, slowly standing up and rubbing his head.

"Oh, god..." I say, slowly dipping two fingers in a giant puddle of blood that sits about a foot away from me.

"He's dead?" Carter asks me, reaching his hand out.

I wipe the blood on my jacket, then take his hand and stand up as slow as I can.

"I guess so..." I whisper, "But how come whoever did this didn't kill us?"

"Because they have the upper hand..." Carter says.

"What do you mean?" I ask him, picking up my charcoal colored pack and slinging it over my shoulder.

We begin to walk, and Carter takes the lead.

"I mean... They know where we are, and they know that it's just us now... Do... You wanna split up?" Carter stops, turning to look at me.

"Split up?" I ask, hardly able to believe my ears.

"Look, it's early now, but... I don't want it to come down to the two of us... I have my sister to get home to." Carter says quietly, and I can sense the sorrow in his eyes.

"Well... Fine. I guess... I'll go find Douglas..." I say in a quiet tone, trying to remain calm.

I turn around, walking off. I've only taken a few steps before I hear his voice again.

"I'm sorry, Jade. Really. I just don't want it to come down to us in the end. Even if it is the beginning," Carter says, disappearing through the woods.

"That makes one of us..." I whisper to myself, walking off alone.

**District Nine Tribute: Cyan Akins**

"Please just let me go!" District Three cries, her voice tiny and weak.

"What'd you do with my knife?!" I scream in her ear, tightening my grip around her throat.

She coughs and sputters, kicking at my knees. I am unshaken, though. She squirms and tries to escape, but I just ignore it. I'm determined to find my knife... I know this little brat took it. I caught her snooping around camp, looking through our packs. She is all by herself, and since Aliya and Lotsear are out hunting, I'm taking advantage and having some fun.

"I didn't touch your knife!" Neon whimpers, struggling to get out of my grasp.

"Yes you did!" I snarl, thrusting her to the floor and watching her hit her back and head on the hard ground.

"Cyan... Why are you doing this? I just wanted some supplies..." Neon whispers, wiping at her teary eyes.

"Because you took my knife, and I need something to help me survive... Duh." I growl at her, then walk forward and pick up a cleaver that sits atop the pile of packs we have stocked up.

"Cyan... Don't. Please, don't..." She begs, crawling backwards on all fours until she hits a large rock and is cornered.

"You asked for it, Neon. You messed with me," I yell, raising the thick weapon above my head.

"No!" Neon squeaks, climbing up the rock and scrambling up a tree.

"You can run, but you can't hide!" I call to her, jumping onto the lower branch and climbing after her.

I slip, and then quickly regain my grip. I heave myself up the branches, then stick the cleaver in the trunk and hoist myself up. I snatch her ankle, then tug hard. Then, my foot slips and I swiftly grab the cleaver, going tumbling down with Neon just above me. I hit the ground hard, and Neon falls beside me, trying to crawl away again. I drag her back, then pin her to the ground.

"I hope you're ready to die... Because you've truly asked for it." I hiss, delivering a hard blow to her nose with my fist.

She cries out, and then blood begins to ooze from her nostrils. I raise the cleaver, then slowly lower it, and begin to cut at her forehead. The skin tears as I slide the enormous knife across her forehead, and then I feel somebody grab me by the back of my jacket and yank me off the defenseless girl, who hasn't made a peep.

"Cyan!" An angry voice yells.

Uh oh... It's Aliya. I quickly whip around, then shove her as hard as I can. She only moves back a few steps.

"What the hell are you doing?! She's just a little girl!" Lotsear chimes in.

I hear the crunch of dead leaves, then turn around and see that the girl is gone. I frown, then collapse to my knees and beat my fists into the ground.

"What the hell are _you_ doing?! I was going to kill her! You know?! We are in the Hunger Games, that little brat took my knife, and I'm dying to kill somebody!" I scream.

"God dammit, Cyan! You are so stupid!" Lotsear yells at me, raising her sword and slamming the butt of the weapon into the middle of my forehead.

I collapse onto the ground, holding my forehead, and then becoming overwhelmed by darkness. I feel the pounding in my forehead, and then Lotsear raises the sword again. But this time, I close my eyes tight, and feel my body go limp.

**District One Tribute: Hunter D'Agosto**

_Boom!_

A close cannon sounds out, and I stop dead in my tracks. Aurora and Sterling stop behind me, looking around. I wipe at my irritated eyes, then scratch the back of my neck.

"Who do you think that was?" I ask.

"Uh... Well, who's all gone?" Aurora asks me, running a hand through her pink hair.

"The girl from Six, the girl from Twelve, the boy from Ten, the ally for Seven and Six... And... Then the one who just died." Sterling nods.

"We'll know tonight," He adds, taking the lead and beginning to walk.

"Yup..." Aurora sighs, walking after me.

"Who do you think we should watch out for?" I ask the two, pulling a bag of blueberries from my pack.

"Definitely the one from-" Sterling begins, but a Tribute slams into him, and they both collapse in a surprised heap on the floor.

"What the hell?!" Sterling yells out at the top of his lungs.

A little blonde girl with blood and dirt covering her face stumbles to her feet. She pants heavily, looking at us with big eyes. We all kind of stand there, not knowing what to do. She doesn't know if we'll kill her, and we don't know if we will either. I then recognize it's the girl from District Three, and she has some enormous cuts carved into her face. One appears to be a 'C'. The other looks like a '9'. C9? Wait... Cyan... I grit my teeth, then nod.

"Cyan." I say.

Then, the little Tribute is dashing through the woods again, calling Bay Rossey's name.

"Bay Rossey is her ally? Jackpot!" Sterling says, running after the blonde mane of hair.

I grin at Aurora, and she nods. Then, we go running after Sterling. We're ready to kill the nuisance of the Arena... Bay Rossey.

**District Three Tribute: Reuben Wires**

Adrenaline roars in my ears with my heartbeat, and a twisted grin covers my face. I dash through the forest, jumping over rocks and fallen logs, and twisting and turning around all the trees that stand in my way. I laugh to myself, clenching the two stolen packs tight, and taking a sharp turn to the right. I jump over a little pond, turning and looking behind me.

The District Seven boy, who has a blue haired boy and the District Eight girl hot on his heels, chases after me. His knife has an alligator skin wrapped around the handle, making it look a lot more menacing to me. I ignore it though, hearing them yell insults at me and threats of all sorts.

"We're gonna catch you, scum!"

"You can't run forever!"

"Give us our packs back!"

Mixed results fill the air, and I just laugh some more. After all, he who laughs last, laughs best. I go sailing over a large barrow for an animal of some sort, then hear a loud thump. A large, tan colored bobcat is now in pursuit of me as well. I hear the angry roar of the animal, then shrug and force myself to run faster.

"Run baby!" Douglas calls from behind.

"Come get me, kitty kitty!" I tease the cat, then accidentally smack into another Tribute.

Crap. I'm dead. I'm dead. I died. I'm dead. I hear the barreling foot steps of the bobcat, then quickly help the fallen Tribute up. That's when I realize... It's Neon. Her and her neon pack are soaked in blood, and are filthy. My eyes widen, and I grab her wrist, beginning to run.

"Uh, Reuben! You better hurry!" Neon warns me, trying to keep the pace with me.

Quickly, I pull a knife from my belt, whip around, and then plunge it through the skull of the bobcat. The bobcat's eyes roll in the back of its head, and it collapses to the ground. I pant heavily, catching my breath. Neon pants as well, doubling over with her hands on her knees. Then, I pull her into a tight hug and smile.

"Oh, Neon... You're okay. Thank god." I smile.

"Yeah, I'm alright! Are you?" She asks.

"Of course..." I say, regaining my breath, "Um, what happened to your allies?" I ask.

"Bay's a total control freak, Talia hates her, and I can't stand being with the two. I went off to try and sneak a pack for some extra protection... But Cyan caught me." She says.

"Yes... It... It seems he did some damage to your forehead." I say, gesturing to the 'C' and the '9' engraved in her forehead.

"What?" She asks in a panicked tone.

"It's okay, just... Let's sit down." I say, pulling some bandages out of my pack and beginning to patch up her forehead.

"Anyway, where's your allies?" She asks me quietly.

"I'm right here." Nealon says, coming out from behind a tree.

I smile, then nod to him. "That's my ally. You want in, still?" I ask.

"Of course..." She says, then hugs me tight.

"You're in." I grin.

**R.I.P.**

**Cyan Akins**

**SPONSOR QUESTION: Which songs make you think of these three Tributes?:**

**Reuben Wires**

**Neon Watts**

**Lotsear Maver**

**LEAVE YOUR THOUGHTS IN A REVIEW, SO OTHERS CAN SEE. NO CORRECT ANSWER, JUST LEAVE A REVIEW ON YOUR THOUGHTS. YOU'LL EARN 500 SPONSOR POINTS FOR THIS ONE. HOPE YOU ENJOYED :)**


	22. Day Four of The Games

**Day Four, here we go! And we still have many Tributes left... Who will emerge victorious? We still have far to find out.. xD Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter. Sponsor Question at the bottom. Enjoy! ~Squintz P.S. Vote for a couple in the poll on my profile! You'll earn 500 sponsor points!:D P.P.S. This chapter is a really short one, mainly because the next one will be long... :3 So, I hope you still enjoy the chapter. Lots of action!**

_Day Four of The Games -_

**District Five Tribute: Talon Kotka**

"When can we stop walking?" Ike, my ally, asks from behind.

"When we find something useful," I reply, shaking my head.

"I'm exhausted, Talon. I haven't eaten in three days, I haven't had water all day, and we haven't stopped walking for two days now. Give it a rest." Ike snarls.

I stop, whipping around.

"Fine. You want water? Here," I unzip my pack quickly, then take out a water bottle and throw it at his chest as hard as I can, "Drink your damn water. I'm going." I yell at him, walking off.

"You don't have to be such a bitch about it." Ike calls from behind me.

I ignore him, continuing to walk. I walk until I can't hear him yelling insults at me. I walk until I finally cool down. But I know he's probably still lagging behind me. I stroll into a thin fog, which slowly gets denser and denser. I hear the crunch of leaves beside me, around me, behind me, and in front of me. Probably just animals... I shrug, then turn as I hear my name.

"Talon! Talon! Run!" Ike's voice sounds out in the fog, then he smacks into me and accidentally headbutts me.

"Run, Talon! Go!" Ike yells, shoving me onto my feet and then pushing me forward.

I take off, hearing Ike try and keep a steady pace behind me. Enormous wolves chase after us, having cat tails and cat claws and bodies. Except for their heads, the mutts are practically all cat. Only their heads are wolves, designed for tearing us apart. I hear another mutt generate beside me, picking up the pace and running alongside me. They all let out a blood curdling howl that sounds like a scream, and I see Ike gaining on my side. Then, he stumbles and trips, and I can hear him screaming my name.

_Boom!_

And then I know I'm all by myself... It's up to me.

I quickly snatch the bow from my back, and then shoot at the mutt to my side. The arrow catches the "animal" neatly in the eye, and it collapses in a heap, rolling to a stop. I keep on running, my legs becoming a bit numb. I shake my head, knowing I'm completely alone now. Great. This is great. I wish I had Alister... Alister... Alister! I have to find him... I go sailing over a ditch, and then hit the ground running. I turn to look behind me, and then find myself falling. Plunging into an enormous river.

"No!" I yell, trying to latch onto any overhanging trees or vines above the water.

The mutts snarl and snap at me along the shore, following me to wherever I'm going. I grab hold of a slippery, moss covered rock that sits in the middle of the river. I cling to it for dear life, then see a Tribute across the river from me and the mutts. I stare at the girl, watching as her hair gently flows behind her from the breeze. A younger boy stands beside her, as well as a man with purple hair.

The mutts suddenly lunge across the river, and all the Tributes begin to battle it out with the horrific animals. The younger boy thrusts his knife into all the approaching mutts. Then, the man with purple hair uses a broken spear to stab at the mutts, pushing them back. The girl, who I then identify to be Alex Fahey, delivers physical blows to the mutts. She kicks and punches and beats them in their heads. The boy lets out a scream as he's pinned underneath a mutt, and he frantically tries to kick it in the stomach to get it off of him, but the mutt overpowers him. I watch as blood spurts up from the boy's throat, spraying the mutt in the face.

_Boom!_

Then, the group of mutts close in around the remaining two. I swim as fast as I can to the edge of the river, pulling myself out of the water. I aim my bow as quickly as possible, then shoot a mutt in the back. It comes running at me, growling angrily. I pull out an arrow, not having enough time to load it, and then plunge it into the mutt's face. Right between its eyes. It collapses on the floor, and then I hear the distressed yell of the man with purple hair. Alex tries everything in her power to remove the mutt from the man, but the mutt is unshaken. It then takes off into the forest with the remaining two mutts, and Alex collapses between her two fallen Tributes, onto her knees.

_Boom!_

"Alex..." I say softly, walking over.

She looks up at me, eyes red and skin blotchy. I can tell she was crying hard. She wipes at her nose, then shakes her head.

"I tried to be brave, at least..." She says frantically, catching her breath.

"I know, Alex... I know... But, hey... You want to do something? You want to help me find the boy from Five?" I ask.

"S-Sure..." Alex stutters, nodding slowly.

"Alright... Come on." I say, standing and offering her my hand.

**District Four Tribute: Kai Drave**

"I'm a pretty butterfly. Fly, fly, fly, fly, butterfly. Pretty, pretty butterfly. Fly, fly, fly, fly, butterfly. Pretty, pretty butterfly. Fly, fly, fly, fly away." Alia sings quietly, sitting atop my shoulders.

Pyralis walks behind me, holding his pick axe over his shoulder.

"You seem awfully quiet." Pyralis laughs at me.

"I'm listening to the mix tape," I say, pointing up at Alia.

"Look! A lady bug!" Alia squeals, pointing at a lady bug that flies right in front of my face.

"Ugh." I swat at the bug, and it decides to land on my wrist.

I put my arm up to Alia, "Take it. Take the bug. Please." I say.

"Lady bug!" Alia giggles, taking the lady bug off my wrist and letting it climb all over my forehead.

"I meant... I meant you could take it." I sigh.

"It likes you." Pyralis pipes up.

"Shut up, Pyralis." I laugh.

"Shut up, Pie." Alia echoes, patting the top of my head.

"Where are we going, anyway?" Pyralis asks me.

"We're going to find some water, because I'm all out of mine. You're all out of yours. And Alia needs some, too." I reply.

"My sippy cup is empty." Alia reminds me, for the ninetieth time today.

"Yes, I know. We're going to refill it." I say.

"Okay. Because it's empty." Pyralis snickers.

"Yes! I know! Thank you, Pie..." I smirk.

Pyralis mutters a swear at me, under his breath. I keep on walking, and then see the edge of the forest. I hear the quiet rush of water, and then nod Pyralis over. He picks up the pace, then takes lead in front. Slowly, he peeks out through the brush. He looks both ways, steps out completely, then returns.

"It's all good. The only foreseeable threat is the running river..." Pyralis nods.

"Alright. Stay away from the river, understand?" I say to Alia, pulling her off my shoulders and letting her walk beside me.

She holds my hand, making me a little embarrassed. But, hey... I don't really have a choice.

"When can we go to bed?" She asks quietly, yawning.

"After we get water." I nod, crouching down beside the water and filling up our water bottles.

I then fill up Alia's sippy cup, add some iodine, then tuck it in her pack. Pyralis splashes some of the cold water on his face, then stands and blows out a sigh.

"It's getting late... Why don't we head out for camp?" Pyralis asks as he stretches.

"Sure," I say, standing and then turning around in the direction we came.

Pyralis puts Alia on his shoulders, and she slouches over, resting her head atop his. She closes her eyes, and then quickly falls asleep. We continue trekking through the woods, until we hear someone coming in the distance.

"Why does this always happen to us?" Pyralis whispers, pulling Alia off his shoulders and then opening his jacket, hiding her in the jacket.

Everything except her head is concealed by the jacket. Her head is still a little slouched over the top of Pyralis' jacket, and she sleeps soundly. Lotsear and her ally, Aliya, stroll through the woods. Each of them are heavily armed, ready for anybody to jump out. I feel my gut wrench, knowing Pyralis and I are definitely on camera right now. Televised over all the screens in Panem... Great, Kalli will know if I kill Lotsear... I chew my bottom lip, then slowly turn to Pyralis. Lotsear throws on the brakes, then stops Aliya.

"What?" Aliya asks.

"Did you hear that? The rustling?" Lotsear asks, coming closer to Pyralis and I.

Pyralis slowly covers Alia's head, making sure she's safe. I grit my teeth, then she reaches down and I snatch her wrist. Lotsear yells out, then yanks me out of the bushes with her arm. I let go of her wrist, and she shoves me onto the ground.

"What the hell, Kai?!" She snarls at me, pointing her sword at my throat.

I swallow hard, then slowly sit up. The sword follows my throat, and Lotsear catches her breath. Aliya stands behind her, holding a machete. I could've sworn she had another weapon at the beginning of the Games... Oh well...

"Kai... What are you trying to pull?!" Lotsear yells at me again.

"Nothing..." I say, glancing back to where Pyralis and Alia hide.

I attempt to stand up, and Lotsear aggressively pushes me to the floor with the butt of the sword. I growl under my breath, then kick her hard in the shin, stand, and thrust the end of my spear against her chest. She stumbles backwards, hitting Aliya, then running at me. She throws her arms around my waist and then flings herself at the ground. I go down with her, and she continuously pounds her fists against my chest. I grab her by the neck, then force her back up against a tree. She begins to choke, and then I hear Pyralis yell out my name. Aliya smashes the handle of the machete against my head, and I collapse to the floor. Lotsear falls on top of me, and I feel too pained to move. She quickly scrambles off of me, then nods to Aliya and the two girls take off.

The last thing I see before I black out is Pyralis coming towards me.

**R.I.P.**

**Ike Kring**

**Marius Steel**

**Devix Sisko**

**SPONSOR QUESTION: Which Career was the only one to attempt to kill Katniss _twice_? ANSWER ACCEPTED ONLY VIA P.M.**

**A. Cato**

**B. Glimmer**

**C. Marvel**

**D. Clove**


	23. Day Five of The Games

**Okay, we're on the fifth day! It's almost been a week for our Tributes! And just so you know: If you leave a negative review, that doesn't give you points... And it kinda bums me out cause I put work into this... 3: Anyway, leave a review on your thoughts. I hope you guys enjoy! Sponsor question is at the bottom! ~Squintz :) B.T.W. See if you can find the quotes in this first POV that will go down in SYOT history... x3 P.S. Sorry this took a while, I'm VERY busy. I just hope this one is longer ^-^"**

_Day Five of The Games -_

**District Seven Tribute: Jade Arctics**

I walk through the woods, hands in my pockets. It's freezing cold outside, a low fog lies just above my ankles. I blow out a sigh, shaking my head as I walk around. I haven't seen any sign of Tributes in days, I'm completely out of food and water, and I haven't seen animals for miles. My stomach keeps growling, aching... I just really need to sit down...

I slowly get onto my hands and knees, then close my eyes. Tears slowly start to roll down my cheeks, and I'm not one to give up... But, this has just been so painful. I don't even know how I could've let myself get so low on supplies without going back to the Cornucopia... I curl myself into the fetal position, then hear somebody walking over.

Oh, great. Maybe they can put me out of my misery. I roll onto my back, facing the tree covered sky, then start to yell.

"I'm over here!" I scream.

"I'm over here..." I yell again, slightly quieter.

Just then, Douglas appears through the brush. His eyes are wide, and then he runs over to my side. I quickly sit up, then he falls to his knees next to me. He pulls me into a tight hug, breathing hard.

"Oh my god, Dane..." I breathe into his shoulder, catching my breath.

"It's okay, I promise... It's okay... You're okay... See? I'm here." Douglas smiles, then helps me up.

"I'm okay, now... I'm okay. I'm okay. Watch." I try to convince him, slowly standing up.

My knees buckle from weakness, and he quickly grabs my arms tight. He pulls me up, then cradles me in his arms. I rest my head against his chest, then he nods to his blue haired ally and Cordelia. They begin to walk, seeming like hours as we pass endless foliage and rocks. Different animals peer through the woods, leaving me wondering how I never even saw them. I close my eyes, then drift off into sleep.

When I wake up, I'm propped up against a fallen log in front of a fire. Douglas sits across from me, sharpening his army knife. I smile, rubbing my eyes. He hands me a water bottle, then comes and sits beside me. I watch the way he gently works the knife against the sharpening steel. I watch his arms flex as he grooves the knife downward, then stops and turns to me. I quickly look away, then Douglas begins to speak.

"You know, Jade... It's just me and you, now." He says quietly, shifting to face me completely.

"I know..." I say back, even quieter as I take a sip of water, noticing my head is gone.

"Where'd Lysander and Cordelia go?" I add quickly.

"They went hunting." Douglas says, toying with the blade in his fingers, then wiping it along his jacket sleeve.

"Oh..." I reply, my voice trailing off.

"Jade..." Douglas grabs my attention again.

"Hmm?"

Before I know it, Douglas has his lips pressed against mine. He pulls away quickly, then smiles at me and runs his fingers through my messy hair.

"_That _was for the cameras..." He whispers in my ear.

I frown, then feel his hands cupping my face. And then our lips are pressed together again, and he pulls me onto his lap. A spark suddenly ignites in my chest, unlike the first kiss... When he pulls away, I slowly open my eyes and take in a deep breath.

"_That_ was for real..." He whispers again, then picks me up and puts me into my sleeping bag.

"Get some sleep, Seven." He says playfully, kissing my forehead, then walking back to the fire.

I smile, then close my eyes and fall into a dreamless, deep sleep.

**District Five Tribute: Alister Rain**

I take a sip of my low supply of water, feeling chills run down my spine. It's negative eleven degrees, _at least_, and here we are hiking along through the woods like it's the perfect weather outside. Emiliana is in the lead, Skyler following behind me. I zip my jacket up, tucking my hands in the pockets. A thin, slow melting snow begins to show up on the ground as we continue to walk. It gets thicker and thicker as we go, and before we know it, we're at the foot of an enormous mountain.

"So now what?" I say, glancing up at the enormous mountain in front of us.

"Now..." Emiliana says, pulling out a pair of ice picks and attaching them to her belt, "We climb it."

"What?" I ask.

"We. Climb. It." Emiliana nods, walking up the side and digging her hands into the snow.

Within seconds they're ice cold red.

"Nuh uh. I'm staying down here. You're psycho. I'm trying to not die." I announce.

"Alister's right. We're going to get frostbite... How about we just make camp down by the Cornucopia?" Skyler says.

"Fine." Emiliana growls.

"Whatever. Follow me." She takes the lead, heading in the direction of the bloodbath.

I blow out a sigh, wondering where Talon could be. I know she's still alive. And I know that she's out here somewhere. But is she injured? Is she dying? Is she sick? I sneeze, then wipe my nose with my sleeve and continue on walking.

"It's freezing," I say, looking at the gentle rain that begins to trickle down from the sky.

"Yeah, we know." Emiliana nods, pulling her hood over her head.

"Why are you in a bad mood? Is it that time of month?" I snicker.

"Shut up, Alister." She hisses.

"I just think you're being-"

"Watch out!" Skyler yells as a mutt suddenly leaps out of nowhere and thrusts Emiliana onto the floor.

"Crap!" She yells, plunging her knives that are still on her arms into the chest of the wolfish mutt.

I run over, beginning to use my pocket knife to stab the mutt, then Skyler announces that there's more. I go charging at one, and it lowers its head at me, and out of nowhere, two bull-like horns emerge from the top of the mutt's head. I lunge aside before the mutt can gore me, and tuck myself in so I don't get trampled. Three even larger mutts come in, blood covering their muzzles as well as sick, twisted grins.

"You wanna dance, ugly puppies?! Let's dance!" I scream, throwing my arms around a mutt's neck and then snapping his neck.

Another mutt turns around and gets a vice grip on my leg, while another starts snapping at my throat. I kick with all my might, punching the mutt that's chewing down on my leg in the nose. I scream out in pain as my bone snaps right in half, and then the mutt releases my leg, blood pouring from its mouth. Emiliana throws the mutt aside, removing her knives from the back of its neck.

"I gotcha covered!" She says, thrusting the knives upward into another mutt's throat.

She grabs the mutt by the scruff, swings it around, and uses the lifeless animal to knock over two other mutts. Then, as if nothing happened, the remaining mutts run off.

I look down at my leg, seeing the entire bone of my shin sticking out of where my knee is, and my skin completely torn apart. I feel faint from the sight, and begin to fall backwards. Skyler catches my head, giving me sips of water. And Emiliana attempts to push the bone back down and inside my leg. I scream in agony, forcing the tears to stay behind my eyes. Emiliana just shakes her head and wraps up my leg, and then sighs.

"That's the best I can do, Alister..." She says.

"It's... It's okay." I chew on my bottom lip, then frown, "How are we going to get to the Cornucopia, now?" I ask.

"Gather some branches... I have an idea." Skyler grins.

**District Two Tribute: Sterling Peeters**

I stride along confidently through the woods, my chin held high. Even though I'm feeling weak and sick, freezing and chilled to the bone, I'm going to make sure I kill anybody left in this Arena. Until it is me. And only me. I turn to see if Aurora and Hunter are still following, which they are. I nod them ahead, hearing some female voices. Alecta Cotts and Bandit Lee Highland sit on a rock, conversing, while Onyx chows down on some sort of bird leg. I grin to myself. This is going to be an easy one.

I run out from the brush, raising my sword high, and then forcing it through Onyx's back before he can even turn around.

_Boom!_

He tumbles off the rock, his dead body landing face first into the fire that they had lit. Alecta yells something to Bandit, and Bandit gathers up their packs and takes off. Unfortunately, Alecta is a little slow, and I grab her leg and drag her back to me.

"Where do you think you're going, Eleven?" I smirk.

"Nngh!" She grunts, punching me in the mouth.

I snatch her up by the jaw, smiling at her again. Blood pours down my chin.

"I can snap your neck right now, Eleven. Just know that. You wouldn't want that, though... Right?" I ask, still smirking maniacally.

"No." Alecta replies sternly.

"Damn shame," I yell in her face, twisting her neck and snapping it like a twig.

She collapses to the floor, the cannon booms out, and we continue through the woods. Only one got away... But that's still two kills for me... Guess we'll see who's got the odds _really_ in their favour...

**District Five Tribute: Talon Kotka**

Alex wanders ahead of me, keeping a watchful eye and peering over rocks as we walk. I blow out a sigh, scratching at my forehead and kicking a pebble across the floor. I haven't seen Alister yet, which is a real downer. Because I need to see hi-

"Alister!" I yell out, running to him as he lies on the ground alone.

"What are you doing?!" A girl with purple, pink, and blue hair appears out of nowhere, raising a large knife.

"Alister is like my brother, just shut up!" I say, sitting down beside him and giving him a tight hug.

"Ow, easy. Easy." He says, slowly pushing me away.

I glance down to his leg, and then gasp. What...

"What happened?!" I ask loudly, waving Alex over.

"I got attacked. By mutts." Alister sighs.

"I missed you so much... Thank god you're okay..." I whimper, pulling him into a tight hug.

"I missed you too," He whispers in my ear, kissing my cheek.

I smile, then turn up to the girl with the weird hair and Emiliana. Alex helps me up.

"Allies?" I say.

"Allies." Both girls smile, as well as Alister.

"Great." I nod.

**R.I.P.**

**Alecta Cotts**

**SPONSOR QUESTION(This is a tricky one xD): Which letter comes first in the English alphabet?**

**A. B**

**B. D**

**C. A**

**D. C**

**ACCEPTED ONLY VIA P.M. DON'T MESS UP XD**


	24. Day Six of The Games

**Hola, my readers! Sorry for taking so long, for I had so much to do this week... ANYWAY, my friend gave me a funny idea for this chapter, so I decided to throw it in there. And sorry this one may run a bit short, because today is important for my family, and I must get this done ^-^ I'm just hoping you enjoy it. So, as you know, Sponsor Question is down in the bottom, and I hope you enjoy this chapter. Review for points! ~Squintz**

_Day Six of The Games -_

**District Eight Tribute: Toro Breckenridge**

I wake up slowly to a soft beeping, and the sound of bird cries filling the air. I rub my eyes, looking around to the soft, pure white snow that gently descends from the sky. A swift breeze sends the flakes of snow to the side, grazing my face and eyelashes. I glance to my pack, opening it up and pulling out my water bottle. I quickly scoop some of the freshest snow from the ground into my water, making it cold. Then, I wait until condensation covers the aluminum outside of my bottle. After that, I drink heartily and smile. My mind then reverts back to the reason I woke up in the first place. The beeping.

It continues, even. I look to see a silver parachute lying in the snow just feet away from me. I crawl over to it, the snow making my palms a light pink color. I pick up the parachute, seeing a medium sized, silver casing underneath. I open up the case, and then knit my brows a bit. A little gold box sits in the middle of the case, surrounded by black styrofoam. I pull out the little box, shaking it back and forth. A little bouncing sound occurs inside the box. I lift off the lid, then smile at the arrangement of decadent chocolates inside of the box.

I see a little white note on top of the chocolate, picking it up and reading it.

'Your father sent in a request.' -Marcus

I grin to myself, then glance up to the sky and dare to speak out loud.

"I'm coming home, dad. I promise."

I then pick up a handful of the little chocolates and stuff them in my mouth.

**District Ten Tribute: Bandit Lee Highland**

I wipe at the snow that continues to blow furiously into my eyes. The freezing cold air does nothing to help my body temperature. I pull my hood over my head, tightening it up with the strings. I tread through the starting blizzard, shaking my head. It's freezing cold, I'm all by myself, and I'm starving. I feel super weak, and my head is pounding. What a great day. I look back to see where I've walked, and notice my footprints are gone from the vicious snowfall. I just tighten my pack strings over my shoulders and trudge on.

I hear a pack of wild dogs or wolves or something howling in the distance, and wish I was with them. I'd have protection, food, and a shelter to stay in. I wouldn't care if it was dirty, because I'd be thankful just for warmth. I scoop some pure driven snow from the ground and gently nibble at the little ice pieces, letting them melt in my mouth and set in my stomach. I feel hunger snapping at my stomach again, setting out an enormous rumble from within. I just bite my nails to calm myself down, feeling some sense of security.

It's weird. You think that in the Hunger Games, people go insane because they want to win. Or to go home. But, in reality, it's so much worse. You get paranoia, really bad. And then you start to feel like no matter what you do, somebody's always noticing where you are. And then you begin to think that somebody is following you. To make matters worse, you're in the middle of a blizzard where anybody could sneak up behind us and just pounce. Then, boom. You're dead. People will be like ghosts in this weather, and I think that's just what the Gamemakers enjoy most... A good shock and awe year.

Continuing on, I feel my knees start to tremble and weaken. And a burning sensation in my feet. I let out a yell, my knees buckling. I fall to the ground, clutching my growling and gurgling stomach. I begin to cry, my tears slowly rolling down my face and then freezing to my skin, halfway down my cheeks. I wipe at my eyes, swiping off little icicles that somehow formed on my lashes. I look back up, wiping at my probably bright red nose, and then see something in the distance. I'm almost a hundred percent sure that it's just a hallucination, but the fiery orange dancing around behind some snow covered stones and bushes draws me forward.

I slowly walk over, the flames becoming bigger and bigger as I go. I glance eagerly for any sign of a Tribute. Nothing. So, I walk on further and further, until I notice that a bunch of animals are dashing through the forest to escape the inferno. And I just smile to myself, almost in a dazed way, and keep walking. The light... It's just... Hypnotic. I watch the flames dance around, sparking and crackling. I tilt my head, slowly reaching my hand out to touch the flame. And then I'm thrown to the ground by some great, unexplained force. I scream out, then see none other than Bay Rossey. She's accompanied by her purple haired ally.

"God dammit, watch where you're going, stupid ass!" Bay yells, snatching me up by the jacket collar and shoving me back further towards the fire.

_Fire... Oh, dear god! Fire!_

My mind instantly snaps back into perspective, and I scramble to my feet. I run past Bay, past her ally, and swoop over the rocks and bushes I passed earlier. Then, I turn around to see where the two girls are. They're still pretty far behind. I continue on running, then turn around and snatch my bullwhip from my belt. The purple haired girl turns around to check on Bay, who is only feet behind her heels. I take this as an advantage, lunge forward, and crack the girl across the face. She collapses in the snow, and Bay just tramples over her, running after me.

Now, I realize, I'm running from Bay _and_ a deadly, raging, fierce fire. Well, basically two deadly, raging, fierce fires. I dive over a little crevice in the ground, and then hear a cannon boom out. Odds are, Bay's ally just got incinerated. I keep on running, then feel a searing pain tear through the back of my left leg, and I collapse face first into the snow. Instantly, all the feeling below my left knee is gone, and blood pours from where the rest of my leg and foot used to be. I scream in horror as I see the rest of my limb lying in the snow, painting the fresh top blanket of flurries red.

I crawl across the ground, feeling Bay stomp on my back and then yank me up by the neck. She drags me further back through the snow, leaving a trail of blood behind me. Pain runs through my leg, shooting through my spine and making me elbow Bay in the knees. She yelps, then slaps me across the back of the head and then I feel warmth coming closer and closer. I then figure out what's happening: Bay is going to throw me into the fire.

She hoists me up, holding me from under my arms, then turns me to face the fire. I yell and kick with my one good leg, struggling to escape as the fire swarms closer to us. I elbow her in the face, and her warm blood oozes down my arm. She holds me out further, and then all of a sudden, I'm on the floor. Bay snags my pack, then dashes through the woods. I scream out some more, trying to attract another Tribute for help. Nobody comes, so I drag myself across the floor, trying to escape the enormous fire.

"Help me! Please, help me!" I begin to feel tears straining my face, and then someone emerges from the hazy, ashen fog.

The Tribute coughs and hacks, continuing to run, and heading in the opposite direction.

"Help! Hey! Help me, please! Please..." I yell, begging for anyone's presence right now.

The figure of the Tribute stops, turning and looking around.

"Over here! Please help me!" I call.

As of this moment, I don't care if this opponent is a threat. I am completely willing to accept any help I can get. Even if it means killing me, I'm fine with that. The pain running through my body is excruciating. I wave my arms, then collapse onto the ground, hitting my chin hard. But the pain in my chin doesn't bother me, because my leg is hurting something fierce.

"Who is that?" A familiar voice says, appearing taller in the fog.

"Bandit Lee... District Ten." I cough, hearing the fire begin to hiss and extinguish with angry crackles and sparks.

"What are you doing out here?" The voice asks, a figure kneeling down beside me.

I glance up, noticing that it's none other than Carter Woods from District Six. He casts a sideglance to my leg, and cringes.

"Dear god, who caught you?" He asks, swatting at the ashen air.

"B-Bay Rossey..." I stutter, my vision becoming dark and then light, then dark again, and so on.

"I'll help you." Carter says, scooping me up and then dashing from the unhealthy, disgusting air.

When we reach a small, cute pond, Carter gently sets me down. He gives me his water bottle, and then tells me to drink up. He even offers me a bag of berries, which I quickly eat up, and then two more bags. Carter just smiles shyly at me, then pulls some gauze and medical tape from his pack. He sets a large amount of gauze over the gaping space where everything below my knee used to be, and then tapes it. He takes the tape, wrapping it up to my thigh, then nodding. He runs over to a tree, using a knife, he saws off a thick branch, and then hustles over to me.

He sets the branch underneath the empty space under my knee, and then begins to tape the branch to my upper leg to make it easier to walk. He tells me to drink more water, so I would regain the blood that I lost, and then refills each water bottle I drink. We alternate between four water bottles, filling, drinking, refilling. A sense of safety settles over me as Carter makes casual jokes, comments, and comes up with strategies to get more supplies and food. I come to know him, as the boy who wants to be home for his little sister, Lani. He tells me of Goldfish the frog, and of his drunken father.

I explain my life in a short summary to him, and we converse animals and which are the best. I defend horses, and he defends dogs. We act as if we aren't even in the Hunger Games. We act as if we're at home, in District Ten, or Six. And we become friends. I just hope it will last, in this horrid Arena. I rest my head on his shoulder as my eyelids droop down, and then he tells me to go to sleep. So I drift off, into a serene and peaceful rest, almost completely forgetting that I only have one good leg.

**District Three Tribute: Neon Watts**

Reuben has sent me out on some incognito mission to set traps in the forest. I walk along, armed with a slingshot, a pocketknife, a pack full of emergency supplies and poisons, and a syringe full of poison to put out anybody who jumps out. So far, I'd poisoned some mint herbs, some dead animals, in case any desperate Tribute stumbles across those and are hungry, and I even took the liberty of injecting poison into a bunch of berries that were growing on an enormous bush near the river.

But, I need to set one more trap. I don't have any ideas, though. I have a curfew, Reuben says. I must be back before dark. Or else someone could slaughter me where I stand. Which, I know, of course, is true. This could happen. I just shake my head and whistle quietly, then almost pee when I see a porcupine nestled against a tree. I then feel an enormous spark of genius inspiration, and whip out my strongest, deadliest poison. I put my little leather gloves back on to avoid getting any poison in a possible cut, and then sneak over silently to the porcupine.

I know I don't have much time, so I quickly slather the poison over almost every one of the porcupine's quills. It stirs, and I dart away, knowing if any oblivious Tribute wanders in front of this animal, they'll be dead in minutes. The beautiful thing, is that the poison is long lasting, so the porcupine won't even know. And they'll think it was a Gamemaker who poisoned the animal. I snicker to myself, rushing back to camp to tell Reuben of my genius plan.

**R.I.P.**

**Talia Richardson**

**SPONSOR QUESTION: What is quoted by Johanna Mason in Catching Fire? Is it:**

**A. "I don't care, I'll rip your throat out."**

**B. "I don't care if you're knocked up, I'll rip your throat out."**

**C. "I like your sweater."**

**D. "I'll cut your throat apart."**

**ACCEPTED ONLY VIA P.M.**


	25. Day Seven of The Games

**Alright, it's update time! I've got a lot of time on my hands with this strep throat, so let's get it started up in here! Can't wait! Leave a review for points, tell me your thoughts, opinions, anything! I love it! Enjoy!**

_Day Seven of The Games -_

**District Six Tribute: Carter Woods**

I sit up, an overwhelming heat in my legs and chest. I glance over to Bandit, who moans in her sleep and rolls over, grumbling under her breath. Her face is absolutely drenched in sweat. I grab a little piece of cloth from my pack, and dip it in the water, pressing it against Bandit's forehead. She breathes out, then sighs and goes still again. There's no doubt that what I've done to help her leg isn't working, and could have opened up an infection. I hear a loud beeping, suddenly, followed by a thunk.

I stand up, then see a large parachute lying in the shallow end of the pond. I quickly walk over, then drag the enormous crate underneath the parachute over to Bandit and I's little camp. I brush away the parachute, and then open up the crate. An abundance of supplies lies within. I find a big meal, which looks to be enough to feed four people, a bundle of throwing knives, a small tent, a thick jacket, a large kit of medicine, two medium bottles of iodine, and a medium sized sleeping bag.

I find a note strapped to the top. It reads: Bandit – Stay alive.

I crawl over to Bandit on my knees, then tap her shoulder and smile wickedly.

"Bandit... Bandit wake up!" I exclaim.

"Hm?" She asks.

"Look! Look!" I say excitedly, pointing to the crate.

Bandit slowly sits up, her eyes bloodshot. Her face is completely pale, and her neck is a little red. She wipes at her nose, then I pull the crate over to her.

"See? Look! You got sponsored!" I grin.

"Any medicine? Or food? Or anything?" She asks.

"Yeah, but let's get safe first, before we get too ahead of ourselves." I say.

I pull out the tent, and then set it up as fast as I can. I carry Bandit inside, and place her inside of the new sleeping bag. I notice that there is enough room for two, which will be good when it gets even colder. I drag the rest of the crate inside, and press it against the entrance of the tent in case someone tries to break in when they find us. Bandit smiles, then I pull out the medicine kit.

A little bottle full of purple pills has a label across it. It's something I cannot pronounce. So I decide to call them the purple pills. I look at the back of the bottle.

'Use only for cold, flu, fever, or food poisoning. For ages 12-14, take one tablet every hour for three days. For ages 15-18, take two tablets every three hours for six days.'

I hand Bandit two pills, then dig through the rest of the kit. I find extra gauze, extra bandages, some band-aids, stitching thread and a needle, medicine, and even some sort of silver cream. I unscrew the cap, and then bite my bottom lip.

"Bandit, what do you think this does?" I ask her, rubbing some on one of my cuts that is on my arm.

It's a smaller cut, but it's still pretty deep. I wipe the remaining cream on my fingers across the edge of the container. The skin around it slowly slides back over the cut, mending the wound. My eyes widen,and then I poke at the spot were the cut used to be. No pain. Nothing. Just regular skin. I rush over to Bandit, and quickly unwrap her leg. She winces a bit, and I just reassure her.

"No, look. Watch," I say, glancing down to the hideous gaping wound were her lower leg used to be.

I bite my tongue, trying to keep from vomiting. The smell is awful, and pus leaks from the opening. I can see a shard of bone, just poking out through the middle of her muscle. A bunch of gnats begin circling the air around the wound, and Bandit just closes her eyes. I can't really blame her... But I have to get to work. I suck in a deep breath through my mouth, and gather my nerves. Slowly, I wipe off the pus that continues to stream from the opening, and then take out a bunch of silver cream, covering the ugly injury. Bandit whimpers, and I tap on her shoulder. She looks down, and we both watch as the skin mends together again at a painstakingly slow rate. It stops half way there, and I try not to gag. The sight of the wound is still sickening. So I take more of the cream and gently apply it to the half opened end. She bites her bottom lip hopefully, and then the skin heals over, just like that.

I glance up to Bandit, a smile on my face. "Well, I guess that solves your pain problem. Now, we just wait out this annoying fever." I exclaim.

"You're right," Bandit coughs, then smiles kindly at me, "Thank you." She says quietly.

I stand up, plucking a knife from the crate and using bandages to tape it on the end of a thick stick I found. I'm going to make a trident for fishing in the pond. I just grin at her confidently, and nod.

"You're welcome." I say, trotting towards the pond.

**District One Tribute: Bay Rossey**

I walk on through the woods, wiping at my forehead. Sweat drips down my hand to my wrist. Even though it is freezing cold, I am exhausted, and this jacket is super thick. I shudder. 'Ew,' I think. I roll my eyes, continuing on. It seems like only hours ago I was running from a fire, and now it's snowing. I hate the snow. I trudge past a half frozen pond, and smile to myself as I remember the encounter with District Ten. The way I cut her leg off. Totally badass. I'm sure she's dragged herself out somewhere to die. I chuckle, then turn around as I hear someone coming through the brush.

It looks like the girl from Eight. She runs through the forest, stopping and looking around. She holds a small knife in her hands, that won't do her any good. But where are her allies? I hear a snap, and I whip around. Not a Tribute. But a porcupine waddles through the bushes. It stops, stares at me, and just blinks hard. I hold my breath, biting the inside of my cheeks. I cannot move. I am actually frozen with fear. Wait... What? Me? Bay Rossey? Afraid of a pointy hamster? Are you serious? I growl, then remain still as the porcupine waddles on again, this time approaching Cordelia. Cordelia looks down, and then tries to remain still the best she can.

But she stumbles backwards, and trips over a little patch of rocks. I snicker to myself, and the porcupine begins to panic. Cordelia scrambles backwards, frantically trying to escape the spiny needles. And then I notice something... Porcupine needles don't glisten... I tilt my head, and then remember. 'Neon...' I think to myself, closing my hands into fists.

"Cordelia!" A voice yells, jumping through the brush.

"No, wait, Lysander, don't-" Cordelia manages to squeak out before the porcupine's quills shoot into her face.

She screams in this horrific way, getting up and trying to tear them from her face. She only gets out two, then a cannon booms out and she's dead before she even hits the floor. Lysander stands there in a dumbfounded way, taking in the realization that he has just killed a precious ally. I grin to myself, taking advantage of the situation. I stroll out from behind the brush, swinging my sword around in circles with a single hand.

"You know... It's a real shame... That Cordelia had to go like that..." I say, watching the porcupine's little shimmy as he scurries away, "But, it _was_ your fault..." I smile as Lysander's eyes rest on me. Riveted into my own pupils.

"It was not. It was an accident." Lysander replies, standing his ground.

He slowly pulls out a dagger, and he points it at me. "I will kill you," He threatens.

"Oh. Just like you killed Cordelia over there?" I ask, nodding to the lifeless corpse who's face is now completely pale and oozing with blood.

"Go to hell, District One. Nobody wants you to win, anyway!" Lysander exclaims, hinting the enormous wave of frustration running through his body.

"That the best comeback you got?" I ask, examining my nails.

"I'll show you a comeback!" Lysander yells, running at me with the knife.

I grab his wrist, swing him around, and force the sword through his stomach. The end of my sword emerges from his back, and I kick him down. He slides off the sword and hits the ground hard. He clenches his gut, and I shoot him a dark smile.

"And I'll show you my rebuttal, friend." I snicker, turning and slowly striding off.

"D-Dammit, Bay... Someone will kill you s-soon... And I h... I hope it's the slowest, most p-painful thing you've ever been through..." Lysander says, smiling at me with bloody red teeth and then collapsing limp.

A cannon booms out, and I just laugh and click my tongue, walking off through the brush again. Two steps closer to victory...

**District Four Tribute: Lotsear Maver**

I can't keep my mind off of Kallie. No matter how much I try, every thought leads back to her. I just keep imagining that gorgeous face... How she will look when I return home... Will she still love me, even though I could be responsible for Kai's death? I shake my head, then glance down to the little flowers that peer over the top of the snow. I smile, then catch myself thinking about Kallie again. I growl, and hear Aliya's voice in the background.

"You seem distracted." She says.

I stop, turning around to look at the heavily armed girl. "I am." I say, turning back around and continuing to walk on, enjoying the sound of weapons clinging quietly against my legs.

"We can talk. Not like I have anybody to tell. Or you. Because Bay exposed you on Interviews." Aliya adds.

"I guess..." I say, continuing to walk.

"So is that a yes or a no?" She asks me.

"It's a whatever." I say. 'Ha, figure that one out.' I think.

"Alright. What's gotcha down?" She asks.

I frown, just stepping over a mud puddle. "I just don't know what I'm going to do." I say honestly.

"About?"

"You know the boy from my District?" I ask her.

"Kai. The one who almost had his brains blown out by a machete handle? I know of him, yes." Aliya replies.

"Well, he's my girlfriend's brother, right?" I say.

"Right." Aliya says.

"So... I don't know what I'm going to do." I sigh.

"I'll kill 'im for you." Aliya suggests.

"No. I don't particularly favor that option." I hiss.

"Just an idea." Aliya mutters.

"I just... I don't want to hurt her..." I press my palm to my forehead, kicking some snow.

"Well... There's other options." Aliya says.

I stop, turning around. "Such as?"

"Let somebody else kill him. Let him make it to the end, and have somebody kill him then." She shrugs.

"Mmm... I guess," I raise my eyebrows.

"But, kiddo, there's still plenty of time. So, let's get something to eat and set up camp. I'm starving!" Aliya smiles, sitting down and opening up her pack.

I sit down beside her, and then open up my pack, searching for a small meal. Maybe Aliya is right... Maybe he could just die on his own... Or... Something. As long as his blood isn't on my hands, I'm fine.

**District Five Tribute: Alister Rain**

"Gah!" I exclaim as Talon attempts to wash the newly dried blood from my leg.

It had begun to pick random times to start bleeding. And now, it's making Talon worry. So she always has to try and help, but she isn't the best at medical things. Emiliana leans against a tree, gripping one of her knives. Her legs are crossed, as well as her arms. And then Skyler sits on a fallen tree, sharpening one of Emiliana's knives for her. Emiliana watches in entertainment, knitting her eyebrows occasionally and making different facial expressions.

"Okay... For now, we should be okay." Talon blows out a sigh, wiping all the sweat from her concentration off her forehead.

"Good. Now get handicapped over there up." Emiliana says sternly, nodding towards the large river that sits in front of us.

"We have to get across this to get to the Cornucopia. There, we're safe." Emiliana gets a confident grin, and then takes her knife from Skyler.

Skyler gets up, then nods to me. "I'll get this one, okay?" Skyler asks.

"Please be careful..." Talon whimpers to Skyler as she lifts me up, putting me over her shoulder.

"It's cool." Skyler smiles, then begins after Emiliana.

She is at least waist deep in the water, and my face dangles just above the winding waters. I watch as a few little trout swim by, flicking their tails frantically. The floor of the river is decorated with pebbles and grasses and catfish that peek their heads out slowly. I smile, then see normal ground again. Skyler continues to carry me, not even breaking a sweat. Then, I hear Emiliana laughing.

"Finally. We're here." She says.

I'm assuming we're at the Cornucopia. And if Emiliana is right, we should be safe now. I just have mixed feelings about this... And most of them aren't too good...

**R. I. P.**

**Cordelia Bonnell**

**SPONSOR QUESTION: Which leg did Bay cut off of Bandit Lee Highland?**

**A. Left**

**B. Right**

**ACCEPTED ONLY VIA P.M.**


	26. Day Eight of The Games

**I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! And please check out my story: Thriving Off Insanity :) Anyway, Review this chapter for sponsor points! Question at the bottom! ~Squintz**

_Day Eight of The Games -_

**District Twelve Tribute: Pyralis Kolton**

"My head is still killing me... This is the worst headache of my life..." Kai complains, even though it's only about five in the morning.

I release a heavy sigh, hearing what I hear every day. Ever since Aliya had hit Kai in the head, he'd been having these horrible headaches and nasty coughs. I didn't know if it was something serious, or maybe it was just the lasting effect. But, whatever it was, it was probably really hurting Kai. Maybe he had some damage or something... Or... God knows what.

"Where?" I ask, as if I don't know.

"Back here..." Kai says, lifting up a patch of his hair.

I glance over, pretending to pay attention, then look away again. But then I realize something, and I quickly divert my eyes back. I slowly graze my fingers over the area, and I can feel a bit of a dent in the skull. I then realize that the severity of the injury is probably a lot worse than anything I thought of.

"Uh... Kai?" I ask, feeling Alia tugging on my jacket sleeve.

"Hm?" He asks.

"Does Kai have a booboo?" Alia asks me, tugging on my sleeve some more.

"I don't know..." I sigh.

"What is it?!" Kai yells.

"The District medic used to date my blacksmith teacher... He always got these really bad headaches... She thought it was something called, like... A... A he-" I stutter.

"A hemorrhage?" Alia suddenly squeaks out.

"Yeah! Wait... What? How do you know what that is?" I ask.

"My mommy is a doctor in the Capitol." Alia smiles.

"She gets some patients with that. She lets me come and help." She adds.

"Do you know what it looks like?" I ask her, lifting her up.

"It looks sort of like that... I think." Alia nods.

"Kai." I say quietly.

"Yeah, I heard." Kai says, coughing a few times.

"So what does this mean?" I ask him, giving Alia a quick hug and then lifting her onto my shoulders.

"I guess we just wait and see." Kai frowns, throwing his pack back over his shoulder and continuing to walk, muttering swears.

I look up at Alia, and she pokes my nose. She frowns, and I smile sadly at her. She hugs my head, and then I pull out her teddy bear and hand it to her. Then, we continue to walk on. All of us hoping Kai will be okay long enough to lead us on...

**District Seven Tribute: Douglas Hilgenbrinck**

I wake up to the silent fall of snow outside of our little tree den.

Jade and I had wandered away from the scene of Cordelia and Lysander's deaths, and we'd headed back in the direction of the Cornucopia. I remembered the handy little moss covered tree that was only about a thousand yards from the Cornucopia. It had a small hole underneath it that was barely big enough for us to squeeze in and out of. But it was roomy on the inside. And warm.

I blink hard, stretching my arms and legs. I roll over, and smile at Jade. Who sleeps soundly with a content, small smile on her lips. I watch her for a while, admiring her long eyelashes and long, beautiful hair. I smile to myself, gently kissing her forehead.

'If I get her and I out of here somehow... I could wake up to this every morning.' I think, bringing another smile onto my face.

I slowly sit up, yawning silently. I wipe some sleep from my eyes, and then scoop some fresh snow from the outside ground. I pack it into a bottle, wrapping it in a bunch of blankets so it will get warmer and melt faster. I then turn back to Jade, and decide that I'll make a nice little breakfast of some sort. I grab my spear and walk outside. The bitter cold slides across my skin, coating me in goosebumps. I shiver, and continue walking.

I eventually stumble across a medium sized wild cat of some sort. I smile, knowing this will be an easy kill. I raise my spear, and the cat stops for a second. It whips around and lets out a thundering roar. My eyes widen at the sight of its enormous, sharp canine teeth. I watch the animal unsheathe its equally massive claws, and slowly prowl towards me. I then figure out that I have finally become its prey, and that it is the predator. I try to back away as painstakingly slow as possible, and this only makes the cat more enraged. It runs its tongue along its teeth, and then lunges forward.

I quickly turn my spear on its side, using both of my hands on the long, wooden handle. I thrust the spear's center against the cat's chest, sending it onto its back. Then, I turn and run. I notice Jade standing out in front of the tree, holding a large dagger. I attempt to get in front of her, but she swings herself to the side and plunges the knife deep into the back of the cat. She then pulls it out and stomps on the cat's neck, breaking it and killing the animal. I look at her with wide eyes, panicked. And she smiles at me, then picks up the dead cat and throws it into the den.

"Good morning... And, you're welcome." Jade winks, and walks back into the den.

**District Two Tribute: Emiliana Vincere**

"When will the Gamemakers understand that snow doesn't make anything different?!" Skyler groans, throwing pebbles at the wall of the Cornucopia.

"Would you shut up? If you're that loud, someone will find us." I say, sliding my knife along a whetstone.

"God, sorry. With those two asleep, there's nothing to really do..." Skyler says, nodding to Talon and Alister, who huddle in the corner.

"Look at them... Two kills would be so easy right now." I smirk, glancing at my knife.

"No, Emiliana. We can benefit from the girl. The boy is useless." Skyler says, "But without him, we won't have her."

"I don't even know why they're so close." I glare at them.

"Who the hell knows," Skyler replies.

"Damn you District Five! I finally found you!" A voice announces loudly from outside the Cornucopia.

I look out the entrance, and see the crazed District Two boy standing there with a large sword in his hands. He has an lucid smirk on his face, and he points at us.

"Just... Let me kill them." He says.

"No." I growl.

"Wait..." Skyler adds.

"What?" I ask.

"If he kills Alister, we'll still have Talon... Because it won't be our fault..." She smirks.

"Alright. You can kill the boy..." I say, sneaking into the corner and having Skyler help me lift him up.

We noiselessly walk over to the boy, and set Alister in front of him.

"Do what you enjoy." I smile, "I'd love to watch."

"This is for killing my sister!" Sterling yells, raising the sword.

Alister's eyes fly open, just as Sterling is forcing the sword down. And then, Alister throws his head back in pain as the sword enters his stomach. A cannon booms out, and I quickly throw a knife into Sterling's neck. Another cannon goes off, and he collapses to the ground. Skyler looks at me with wide eyes.

"It has to look like we tried to stop him." I say.

"You're good." Skyler smiles.

"Yeah, but just wait until blondie wakes up." I reply, nodding to Talon.

Because I know this will be a bloodbath when she wakes up.

**R.I.P.**

**Alister Rain**

**Sterling Peeters**

**SPONSOR QUESTION: Haymitch has one important thing he wants Katniss to get when she first reaches the Arena. What is it?**

**A. Water**

**B. Berries**

**C. Bow and Arrows**

**D. Fried Chicken**

**ACCEPTED ONLY VIA P.M.**


	27. Day Nine of The Games

**Hey! Sorry for a bit of a late update, but with a week off from school, I'll be updating faster! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, and I hope you get excited... For the Feast is coming! :O Please Review! And enjoy! :) Sponsor question is at the bottom! ~Squintz P.S. If you could also check out my new story, that'd be great! :D**

_Day Nine of The Games -_

**District Five Tribute: Talon Kotka**

"H-How did this even happen?!" I cry, my fingers grazing the bloody, melting snow on the floor in front of the Cornucopia.

"How many tears can you continue to generate after an hour of crying?" Skyler asks me, crossing her arms.

"Skyler, can't you see she's upset?!" Emiliana growls at Skyler, pushing her aside and kneeling next to me, "There, there... It's alright..."

"I didn't... I didn't even get to say goodbye..." I whisper, my bottom lip beginning to tremble as tears start to stream my face again.

"I don't know why you're so upset..." Skyler mumbles.

Something goes twisted inside me. Something breaks. I turn to Skyler, glaring at her. I then see something shining from the corner of my eye, and I brush away the thin layer of snow covering the silver sparkle. I uncover a large, bloody sword with a black leather handle on it. I see my reflection in the spaces of the sword that aren't soiled with the crimson liquid that once belonged to Alister. My Alister... I feel a spark inside of my chest, and something clicks. The idea that Emiliana and Skyler were possibly involved in his death fills up my brain, so I turn and grit my teeth at Skyler. I can't stand her attitude anymore...

"What?" She asks, raising her eyebrows at me.

I begin to growl, and then it turns into a bloody murder scream. I pick up the sword and go charging at Skyler. I slam into her with all my might, throwing her back to the floor. I pull the sword up, pressing the tip right to her neck. Right as I'm about to force it through, a voice rings out.

"Attention! Attention! Attention Tributes! If you would listen, that would be great... There will be a Feast, commencing at sunrise tomorrow... This Feast will be a bit more beneficial, however... But, that will be a surprise for you to find out, if you choose to go. Decide carefully, and be smart... That will be all." The microphone clicks and the regular sounds of the Arena return.

"A Feast?" Emiliana asks.

"Yeah..." I say, turning back to Skyler and quickly shoving the sword through her throat.

I stand, listening to the cannon boom out. Then, I drop the sword and turn to Emiliana.

"And for the Feast, it will be just me... And you." I demand.

**District Ten Tribute: Bandit Lee Highland**

"You know, fish is actually not too bad." I say, chewing a piece of fish meat.

Carter nods with a smile on his face, cutting up another piece of fish and cooking it over our little fire. I chew heartily, smiling back at Carter. He places another piece on my plate, grabbing another fish and cooking it for himself. I finish my pieces as he begins to eat his own.

"Seems like you're feeling better, yeah?" Carter grins.

"Yeah... I mean, like... Yesterday I wasn't hungry at all... But today I'm starving!" I exclaim, wiping my mouth with my jacket sleeve.

"I gotcha. I tried to get you to eat... But you wouldn't," Carter chuckles.

"Sorry about that... I just..." I sigh, looking down at my leg... Well, what's left of it, "I just worry that I'll never be able to live my life the way it was... If I get out..."

"I think with a little touch up from the Capitol, you'll be good as new." Carter says gently, taking another bite of his meat.

I smile sadly, "You really think so?"

"Mhm." Carter nods.

"Then... Thank you," I smile at him, happily, this time.

He just nods again, continuing to eat his food. I look at my leg, nodding as well. Maybe he was right. The Capitol could always work their magic...

**District Three Tribute: Reuben Wires**

I munch down on some dried apple slices that I snatched from the Cornucopia a few days back. Neon sits on a rock across from me, sorting through her poisons. The fresh bandage around her head concealing the 'C9' on her forehead. I glance down to Nealon, who sits on the floor beside Neon, handing her the little tubes full of colorful liquids that he pulls from the neon blue pack. They talk quietly amongst themselves, Neon explaining the effects of the poisons.

"You guys... This seriously blows... I mean, we've been here for days with no action." I groan.

"That, my friend, is a blessing." Nealon says with a smile, his green hair sweeping over his forehead.

I shrug, shaking my head. "The Games are supposed to be about action, right? So, why do we sit around doing nothing? Can't they spawn some sort of... Bobcat to mess with us?" I ask.

A slight crack sounds from above, and I gaze up a tall tree beside me. Two glowing orange eyes stare menacingly at me.

"Why'd ya jinx it, Reuben? Why?" Neon whispers.

"I... Uh... Take back what I said..." I begin to repeat.

The eyes slowly descend past the leaves and brush, and then a large creature glares down at me. It has the forelegs of a bear, the rear legs of a cougar, the face of a bobcat, and the tail of a wolf. The mutt lets out an enormous roar, drool beginning to flood from its muzzle. It dives down in front of me, snarling something fierce at me. It swats a paw at the ground in front of me, rearing up on its hind legs. It stands high above me, growling down at me. I slowly take a step back.

"Okay, um... Nealon, take Neon and run... I'll follow behind." I say, turning to see them both getting ready.

I notice a large knife hanging off Nealon's belt, "And toss me that knife." I say quietly.

"Sure thing." Nealon whispers, tossing it to me and then taking off with Neon's hand in his.

I whip around to the mutt, that just faces me fearlessly, licking its muzzle. It must think I'll be a tasty meal, but I won't stand it. I quickly melee the knife, slicing it across the mutt's furry chest. It lets out another ferocious roar, pushing me down hard with its bear legs. I hit the ground hard, the wind flying from my lungs. The animal begins to come down at me, so I roll aside with all my might. The mutt slams its paws hard into the dirt, letting another roar loose. I use the knife butt and hit the muzzle of the creature, swiftly avoiding a bite on the arm.

I climb to my feet, dashing in the direction that Nealon and Neon went in. I hear the aggressive puffs and huffs of the mutt close behind me, forcing me to run faster. I take short, muffled breaths as I start to see the light blonde hair that belongs to Neon. I notice Nealon has released her hand, and is trying to save himself as he runs ahead. I grab Neon quickly, running even harder. The mutt swipes at my back, and my jacket tears off a long strip of material. I run faster than Nealon, quickly passing him and swinging around a tree, turning to avoid another blow. But Nealon feels the lash.

A scream fills the Arena, another mighty roar, and then a cannon echo. I sit down and catch my breath, and Neon stares at me with wide eyes. I smile in an exhausted way at her, putting my head between my knees and closing my hands together. Neon scoots closer to me, and taps on my shoulder. I raise my eyebrows and turn to her.

"Yeah?" I ask.

She doesn't reply, though. She gently presses her lips against mine, and I feel a shock wave run through my body. I'm surprised. I then slowly kiss her back, bring a hand up to caress her cheek. I brush my fingers through her hair, and then very slowly pull away from her, taking in a deep breath. She actually smiles at me, and then nods once.

"Thank you, Reuben..." She murmurs.

"You're... Welcome." I stutter.

Neon just smiles, and then begins sorting through her packs again.

**R.I.P.**

**Skyler Luciel**

**Nealon Essence**

**SPONSOR QUESTION: When was the first Hunger Games book published?**

**A. 1998**

**B. 2002**

**C. 2011**

**D. 2008**

**ACCEPTED ONLY VIA P.M. **


	28. The Feast

**Now... It is time... For the Feast! :D I hope you enjoy this chapter! Please leave a Review, tell me your thoughts! :) Who are your favorite Tributes now that we're in the Games? Who do you think will win? Why? Enjoy! :D ~Squintz Btw, no sponsor question today! Just submission :3**

**P.S. PLEASE send in a few Tributes to 74hgpeetakatniss' SYOT! It would really help her out! :)**

_The Feast – Day Ten_

**District One Tribute: Bay Rossey**

I waltz carelessly through the woods, twirling my light sword in my hands. Nothing could be easier than this. A Feast. At sunrise. And I'm on my way. I mean, how many Tributes are stupid enough to actually go to this Feast? Not me, though. I'm only in it for the kills and the 'surprise'. It's probably something stupid. I reach the end of the forest, peeking my head out from the brush. The District Two girl and the District Five girl are sitting outside the Cornucopia, both heavily armed. I frown, shaking my head as I walk out into the open air.

The table begins to rise from the ground in front of the Cornucopia, and a Tribute comes rushing out into the middle of the atmosphere. I glance to the District Two girl. She looks to District Five. District Five looks back at her, then to me. I guess that means she's my kill. I go running after her, and she notices the table is empty. She whips around, seeing me with my sword raised. I bring the sword down into her chest, and she falls backwards, her head hitting the table. A cannon booms out, and District Five looks over the table.

"That was Alex... I wondered where she had slunk off to... I guess she doesn't do alliances..." She says, frowning a bit.

"Yeah. Big deal," I say, "Uh... Let's see... What is this?" I ask, looking down at the table.

All that covers it are a bunch of little buttons with labels under them. I shove District Five aside, and watch as District Two tenses up. I look at the labels. One reads Phone Call. Another one reads Random Sponsor. The third button says WOC. The fourth says M. And the fifth says I knit my eyebrows. I quickly turn around.

"Do either of you know what this means?" I ask, pointing to the third button.

They both shake their heads. District Two crosses her arms, coming closer.

"I have no idea. Why don't you ask your friends over there?" She says, gesturing to the District Three kids that come running across the plain.

**District Three Tribute: Neon Watts**

"Wait!" Reuben stops me, causing me to notice Bay standing right at the table.

My eyes widen, I attempt to turn around and run. Reuben snatches me by the arm, turning me around.

"We have to go now!" I whisper, trying to remove his grip.

"No, we have to get whatever they're protecting." Reuben murmurs.

Bay glares at me, her face twisting into a smirk. Reuben begins running forward, and I'm dragged along behind him. Bay starts running at us, and I attempt to resist with all my might. It doesn't really work. Reuben keeps running. And then, Emiliana dives forward and grabs Bay's neck. Bay realizes faster than expected, and throws herself backwards. She lands hard on Emiliana, and she lets out a loud yelp. Emiliana reaches for her knives on her belt, but Bay snatches her wrist and pulls as hard as she can. There's a loud pop, and Emiliana yells again.

There's another pop as Emiliana gets out from under Bay, and her wrist is reset. She grabs her shark knives and places them on her hands. Bay snarls at her, and then Emiliana points her knives at Bay. I notice the grip on my arm is gone, and I'm standing there by myself. I notice Reuben slipping over to the table. I just continue to watch the fight. He waves me over. I walk past the fight, seeing the buttons.

"What's that one?" I ask, pressing the 'M' button.

"Wait..." He says, pointing out to a large purple beam that comes from the sky.

Emiliana and Bay look up from murdering each other, and a giant wolf mutt drops from the sky. It shakes its head back and forth, growling and sending drool everywhere.

"I guess M stands for mutt..." I whisper.

"I guess so." Reuben says, bashing the Random Sponsor button.

A small sized crate drops in front of us, and Reuben picks it up.

"Let's book it." Reuben nods, grabbing the crate and running.

I dash after him, and then a cannon booms out. Emiliana stands over Bay, whose neck is pouring blood. Then, the mutt goes running at Talon and her. Emiliana grabs Talon's hand and goes running into the woods. I guess they didn't really benefit... I just follow after Reuben while we rush to camp. We got all we needed.

**District Six Tribute: Carter Woods**

I run out into the open space surrounding the Cornucopia, seeing the table. I notice all the buttons atop it, and I read them carefully. Looking around, I press the Phone Call button. It puts out a holographic image, and it has all the Tributes pictures on it. I click on mine, and it allows me a keyboard. I type in my home phone number. It rings for a few minutes, and then she picks up.

"Hello?" Lani asks quietly.

"Lani!" I smile, feeling myself beginning to tear up.

"Carter?" She squeaks.

"Yes, yes it's me!" I exclaim.

"Carter! Where are you?! Do you know yet?!" Lani asks me loudly.

"I'm in the Hunger Games... Go turn on the television." I instruct her, carefully looking around.

"Okay." She says.

I wait.

"Okay, now what?" She asks.

"Do you see me?" I ask.

"No..." She replies.

"Well what do you see?" I lift my eyebrows.

"I see a blonde girl... And a girl with brown hair... Who is with another girl... With black hair. And they're holding silver, pointy sticks." Lani says.

"Wait... Does the blonde girl have both her legs?!" I exclaim.

"Uh... No... I don't think so." Lani says quietly.

"Alright... I have to go. I love you, turn off the television." I demand her.

"I love you too, Carter... I'll see you soon, right?" Lani whimpers.

"Yes." I say.

"Goodbye, Lani." I whisper, hanging up the phone and beginning to run.

But I'm too late... All of a sudden, a cannon booms out. I know that she's gone...

**District Seven Tribute: Jade Arctics**

"Good morning, sunshine," Douglas grins at me, holding an enormous crate in his hands.

"Good morning..." I laugh quietly, rubbing my eyes.

"What is that?" I ask.

"I went down to the Feast while you were asleep... I got a crate! They have all kinds of stuff." Douglas smiles.

"Well what's in it?" I ask him.

"Bunches of food! Tons of water! Extra weapons..." Dane nods, setting the crate down.

"So then we're good for a while?" I wonder aloud.

"Yes, for a while." Douglas nods.

"And who all died?"

"I'm not sure... I only saw Bay's body and the boy from Six running off. But I did hear another cannon..." He says.

"I guess we'll find out..." I whisper.

"Yeah, I guess we will..."

**R.I.P**

**Alex Fahey**

**Bay Rossey**

**Bandit Lee Highland**

**Please submit to 74hgpeetakatniss' SYOT! :)**


	29. Day Eleven of The Games

**Hey guys! Wanted to update today, because I felt like a couple of Tributes haven't been heard from in a while ;-; And, just so you know, there is officially 11 Tributes and 4 Allies remaining! So, I'm not counting Allies as Tributes. That way, when there is 10 Tributes remaining, it _will _be the Final Ten. Hope you're as excited as me! :D Enjoy, and R&R! ~Squintz BTW, Check out my new Poll! :D**

_Day Eleven of The Games -_

**District One Tribute: Hunter D'Agosto**

"So... Crazy abandoned us in the night, and then managed to get himself killed... We missed the Feast, and now we're out in the middle of nowhere." Aurora runs it over once more.

"Yes. Thank you... For summing that all up for me." I say, taking a sip of water as I cross over a fallen tree.

I look at the ground, seeing footprints. Footprints that belong to a person. A Tribute. I press a finger into the fresh mud. It's a more recent footprint. I turn around, seeing all the footprints Aurora and I left behind. She still babbles on about how we should've gone to the Feast and got some supplies. I clamp my hand over her mouth, pointing to the footprints.

"Cover those. We have to find this kid." I demand, pointing to the footprint I found.

"Sure, General." Aurora says.

I roll my eyes, crouching by the footprint and looking out to the trail that leads through the brush. It's two different pairs of footprints. I guess people are seriously starting to stick together, now that there's only a few of us left.

"Done." Aurora announces in an annoyed voice.

"Okay." I say, still looking down at the footprints.

I stand up, walking beside the footprints. They go on for a while, then stop near a large meadow. I tilt my head, and Aurora slams into me, still talking on. She stops.

"What?" She asks.

"I've... Seen this before..." I say, slowly walking down the small dirt trail leading into the meadow.

"From what?" Aurora scoffs, probably considering I'm crazy.

"Well... When I was training, my trainer always had these nights where everybody camped out in the Academy... And we would watch past Hunger Games... And we saw this one in a Quell... I can't remember... I think they call it... Like... Mercy Meadow? Some kid got his head cut off here. In the final two, though." I nod.

"What the hell? That's kind of scary..." Aurora slowly backs away from the flowers.

"Yeah, it's also a really popular place for mutts..." I remember.

"Then let's go..." Aurora shoves me forward, and we begin walking off through the brush.

I guess I'll never find who left those footprints... Oh well, I'll find many people in the finale... If I can make it that far to see Nick again.

**District Twelve Tribute: Pyralis Kolton**

"Is... Is Kai gonna be okay?" Alia asks, tugging on my sleeve and cuddling her teddy bear.

I pull her onto my lap, shaking my head and blowing out a heavy sigh. "I honestly don't know, Alia."

"Why not?" She asks.

"Because... I don't know any medical stuff. Or how he's even doing..." I say, kneeling down with Alia.

Kai lies down in his sleeping bag, completely still. I press two fingers to his neck, feeling his jugular vein. His heartbeat races, trying to keep up with its job. I know very soon he won't be able to keep up with it. I shake my head, and Alia looks at some flowers. She smiles sadly and then gets up, picking a little purple flower. She comes back to Kai, putting a flower in his hair.

"Goodnight Kai, sleep tight." She whispers.

Suddenly, a cannon booms out. I press my fingers to his neck again, and feel nothing. I hang my head, and Alia rests her head on his chest. A few tears roll down her cheeks, and she shakes her head.

"Kai was like my big brother." Alia tells me, standing and looking up at me.

"Yeah, he was like my brother, too. In some ways... Here," I cut off a piece of Kai's jacket, the part with the Four on it, and then slip it over her teddy bear's head.

"Now, you will be with Kai and your teddy. No matter where you're at." I say with a smile.

"Thank you, Pyralis." Alia says, hugging my leg tight.

I nod, then take her hand and begin walking away.

'Rest in peace, Kai...' I think, 'You tried...'

**District Eight Tribute: Toro Breckenridge**

"Who do you think that was, Toro?" Vance, my Ally, asks as he straggles behind me.

"Well, we'll find out soon. Probably somebody who didn't know what they were doing." I say quietly, looking out to the sunset.

"Did you see? Last night the girl from Ten died... And the girl from One. And the girl from Nine." He says.

"Then I guess we're really getting down to the nitty gritty, right?" I ask him.

"I guess so..." He pauses, "Do you think we'll get out?" He asks.

"I don't know. I think they're letting one Ally and one Tribute win, but that was just a rumor I heard after I got to the Capitol." I shrug, finding a small creek and filling my water bottles.

Vance sits beside me on a rock, putting his chin on his fists.

"I really miss my family..." He frowns.

"I miss mine, too." I say.

"I miss the Capitol... I wish I had some cake." He chuckles.

"I wish I had some ice cream." I reply.

"You know, Toro. I never met anybody like you. All I heard is that the Districts are full of cheapskates. My dad told me that, just so you know." Vance says, taking a bite from an apple.

"Yeah? Has your dad ever been to my District?" I ask, dropping iodine in the two bottles.

"Nope. I mean, he's been to District Ten... And District Seven. But never Eight. Or any others. Well, I remember he went to One, once. But that's it." Vance notes.

"Then tell your dad once he comes to my District, that he should stay on vacation, and then see how cheap we are." I laugh, then nod.

"Come on, Vance. It's getting late, let's go to bed."

"Sure thing, Toro!" Vance smiles.

**R.I.P.**

**Kai Drave**

**SPONSOR QUESTION: In my story, the 455th Annual Quarter Quell, who is the first to die?**

**A. Alder Thomas**

**B. Amita Mullur**

**C. Ke$ha**

**D. Beau Infernetti**

**ACCEPTED ONLY VIA P.M.**


	30. Day Twelve of The Games

**Hey guys! So, I'm sorry to say these next few chapters may be a little shorter! I have to study for finals before Christmas break ;-; But after that, if we still have Tributes, updates will be hopefully faster! Anyway, enjoy and Review :D ~Squintz**

_Day Twelve of The Games -_

**District Seven Tribute: Jade Arctics**

"So now what do we do?" I ask, watching Dane drop all his stuff in a meadow he made us walk to.

He shrugs, plopping down and reclining onto his back in the long grass. He puts his hands behind his head, and I laugh. I lie down next to him, putting my hands behind my head as well. I look up to the artificial sky, watching the pretend clouds slide along.

"It is pretty beautiful, for something fake." Dane sighs.

"Yea-Ah!" I yell, seeing a knife suddenly come down towards my chest.

I grab the blade of the knife, and see the girl from the Capitol. The one with the dark black hair and the pale skin. She smirks at me, forcing the knife closer and closer to my chest. My hands are getting torn apart while I grip the blade, but it's better than getting stabbed in the chest. I then tug down on the knife, pulling Aliya onto me. She yelps, and I shove her off.

I release the knife, my hands dripping heavily with blood. Aliya gets up quickly, an opponent much like Jasmine, and comes running at me. I turn back to see Douglas trying to fight off Lotsear Maver. I then hit the ground, the back of my head first, as Aliya slams into me with all her momentum. I can't see or hear for a moment, but then everything returns. I am pinned, though. And Aliya smirks at me.

"This is for-" A cannon booms out.

Aliya's body slumps over, falling on top of me. I shriek and shove her off, an enormous slice in her neck. I blink hard, rubbing my eyes. I think this luck isn't real. I probably died and now I'm just... Hallucinating or something. But Dane yells at me to run. I just look at him, shaking my head.

Lotsear viciously tackles him, grabbing him by the neck. He struggles for breath, but Lotsear manages to force his head back enough so he can't move without pain. He brings his hands to her wrists, trying to throw her aside, his lips turning blue. I cannot stand seeing this. I look to our packs, grabbing my dagger and rushing over. I go to stab Lotsear, but she jumps onto me and off of Dane.

"I'll kill both of you if I have to... Anything to get my Kalliroe back." Lotsear growls, snatching the knife from my hand and holding it to my throat.

"No!" I yell, grabbing her neck.

Dane comes over, a bit disoriented and probably light headed. He stumbles a bit, attempting to grab Lotsear by the arm.

"You can't sneak up on me, Seven!" She announces, taking my knife and plunging it into his stomach.

"Dane!" I scream.

Lotsear smirks at me, tosses the knife to me, and then runs off. Dane practically chokes on his own blood, holding his throat as blood oozes from his mouth. I crouch beside him, taking his bloodied hand in mine. He looks up at me, coughing a few times.

"I... I really wish I... Could stay." He says, causing me to choke up.

I feel tears start to roll down my cheeks, and I shake my head.

"It wasn't your fault... There's nothing you could do..." I whisper.

Dane smiles sadly, his teeth blood red. A single tear runs from his eye. I bring his hand to my face, placing it under my chin. I try to smile for him, and he just pulls me down. He places my lips against his, and we kiss. It's affectionate, longing, and warm. And then I feel his lips go still. A cannon booms out, and I stand up. I close my eyes, turn around, and walk away. I can't look at the carnage anymore. And one way or another, Lotsear will pay...

**District Three Tribute: Reuben Wires**

"Douglas Hilgenbrinck of District Seven... And Aliya Ligone. Both gone." Neon says, looking up at the sky as she lies in a sleeping bag.

I keep our little fire under control, warming my hands. I nod.

"It's a blessing for us. That gives us less threats and more a chance." I say.

"But only one will come out." Neon reminds me.

"Yeah... I know..." I murmur.

"Who do you think it will be?" Neon asks, propping herself up on one elbow.

"I'm not sure... But whoever it is will be very lucky..." I say, blowing out the small fire and then crawling in the sleeping bag beside Neon.

"Goodnight, Reuben." She whispers.

"Goodnight, Neon." I reply.

**R.I.P.**

**Aliya Ligone**

**Douglas Hilgenbrinck**

**Sorry for the shortness! ;-; There will be no sponsor questions from now on! Once again, sorry for the shortness D:**


	31. Day Thirteen of The Games

**We're really winding down, now! With only twelve Tributes(Counting Allies) left, we're so close to the end... I have to say, this SYOT has been my favorite by far! Very interesting and violent! :) Anyway, Read and Review :D Thanks and enjoy! ~Squintz BTW. The POVs are a little short, but there's five of them in this chapter :) Hope that's okay, I've just been really busy.**

_Day Thirteen of The Games -_

**District Two Tribute: Emiliana Vincere**

"We need to make a plan... All of the food in the Arena has gone, all the game has lessened, and to make matters worse, we're in the middle of the Arena, furthest away from the cleaner water supply." Talon suggests, looking at the gloomy 'sky' that covers the Arena.

"Yeah, you're right..." I reply, picking at the thin scab that covers a large cut on the bridge of my nose.

Talon had tried to stitch up my lip, which Bay had split during the fight. Fortunately, the stitching was holding together quite well. Unfortunately, I couldn't see out of my right eye, which was swollen shut. My nose had been broken, but Talon set it back. The only extremely painful injury that Bay had inflicted was a massive cut that she left along my chest. It was always stinging, randomly bleeding, and it was starting to get infected. But Talon kept trying to help, as always.

I have to admit, though. She's a pretty good benefit. Tough, headstrong, and gritty.

"We should probably go down by the littler forest... The one that always looks like it's fall." I say.

"Sure, that one's closest to the mountains, right?" Talon asks.

"Yup." I nod.

"Sounds good. We can fill up on water, find some fish, and then make a camp." Talon says.

"That sounds like a plan." I smile, taking the lead.

**District Eight Tribute: Toro Breckenridge**

"Well, we know that Emiliana and Talon are teamed up... Then, there's District One. Hunter and his ally, Aurora, I believe... Uh... District Seven is alone now. District Six is still in the Game. District Four is alone, now..." I say, counting the Tributes off on my fingers.

"Both from Three. You, me. Alia, the little girl from my neighborhood... And then, District Twelve." Vance adds.

"The little girl? You know her?" I ask.

"Yeah, Alia. She's an adopted kid. But she doesn't know. The parents never told her. And she's really sweet. But, I heard from her mom while she was talking to mine that she's sick. Something about, like... Cancer or something." Vance shrugs.

"That's... Really messed up..." I say quietly.

"I guess." Vance says nonchalantly.

"So, Vance... Tell me... What's your family like?" I ask him, zipping up my jacket.

"Uh... Well, my parents aren't together. My dad was cheating on my mom with some lower position Gamemaker... So, my mom left. And now I switch between my mom and her husband, and my dad and his girlfriend." Vance sighs.

"That's... Even more messed up." I reply.

"Yeah... They've never gotten along well." Vance shrugs again.

"So, where do you want to settle down for the night?" I ask, trying to change the subject.

"I don't know... We could go near the river." He suggests.

"Maybe. But it could be a little risky." I say.

"True."

"Let's just see where we end up." I nod, walking on.

**District Three Tribute: Neon Watts**

"A-Are you sure?" I ask, glancing down to the water that sits below a smaller sized waterfall, which I stand on.

"Yeah! Besides, we need to get clean." Reuben nods.

"But... I'm scared." I confess, looking down again.

A small squeak emerges from my throat.

"Hey," Reuben says, "There's nothing to be afraid of." He tells me, taking hold of my hand.

I feel knots tightening in my stomach, but I know with Reuben, I'll be safe. More than safe.

"Okay..." I nod.

"Ready?" He grins.

"It's gonna be so freezing." I whimper, closing my eyes.

"One..." Reuben is probably smiling.

"Two..." He says.

My knees tremble.

"Three!" He yells.

We both jump off the rocks of the waterfall, hitting the water with a loud splash. Reuben comes up laughing, and I do too. He grabs my hand again, and we run from the freezing cold water. Reuben quickly pulls on his shirt and jacket again, having left on his pants. I just put my jacket back on.

"Come on, lets go find a place to adjust those." Reuben says, nodding to my bandages around my forehead, which have started to become loose.

"Alright." I giggle, following after him.

That was actually really fun...

**District Four Tribute: Lotsear Maver**

Kai is dead. Aliya is dead. District Seven calls for my blood. I'm all by myself, now. I need to win these Games. And that's final. I can picture Kalliroe at home, cheering me on. Half in tears, still, at the death of her brother.

I grip my weapon tighter, and then hear somebody running at me from behind. Then I hear a loud yell, and I turn around. District Seven comes running at me, and I blink hard. I rub my eyes, but as I do she delivers an enormous punch to the side of my face. A loud crack sounds out as my jaw becomes unhinged, and I hit the ground with a yelp.

"I'm going to kill you. For Douglas. For everybody in this Arena that _ever_ had to deal with you." Jade growls, raising a large, thick dagger.

"Rah!" I yell, grabbing her wrists as she forces the dagger towards my throat.

It's survival of the fittest, dog eat dog, and battle of survival right now. I try as hard as I can to push the dagger away, but this girl is strong. Really strong. I grit my teeth, pushing as hard as I can. When I feel an overwhelming pain in my jaw, followed by another loud crack. I forgot you shouldn't try to close your mouth all the way when you have a messed up jaw. Oh well. I'm still about to die.

I bring my knees to my chest and then kick up with all my might. Jade lets out a scream of pain, clutching her stomach and then grabbing her knife as I go to snatch it from the ground. She plunges the knife into my hand, getting it stuck to the ground. I yell out, feeling the pain shooting through my arm from my hand.

Jade pounces on me, and sits on my chest. She keeps me pinned with her knees on my shoulders, and then pulls a smaller, thinner dagger from her jacket.

"This will be the slowest, most horrible, most dreadful, most-" Her voice is cut off by a loud shriek as she's yanked backwards by her hair.

"I'll let you go if you can run away in less than ten seconds out of my sight." Emiliana hisses, the District Five girl beside her.

"Or else we'll all kill you." She adds.

Jade shoots up, running from the scene. She runs faster than expected, darting through the brush. And out of sight.

"You okay, Four?" Emiliana asks me, leaning down beside me and quickly yanking the knife from my hand.

"Yeah..." I say, looking away as District Five steps in and bandages the enormous, gaping hole in my hand.

"Allies?" Emiliana asks, holding out her hand to shake.

I gladly accept, shaking her hand heartily.

"Good to be with you." I smile.

"Come on, let's go." District Five nods.

**District Twelve Tribute: Pyalis Kolton**

"Look. A butterfly." Alia smiles as a small, gold and black butterfly flutters alongside the trees.

"Yeah. Watch this." I say, slowly following the butterfly with Alia holding my hand.

I use my free hand to slowly extend my arm, watching as the butterfly lands on my index finger. I kneel down ever so slowly, nodding Alia over to see it.

"Stick your finger out." I say, moving my hand to face her's.

The butterfly walks gently across my finger and onto her finger, fluttering its little wings. I smile, and Alia gasps.

"It's so pretty." She says, smiling at the butterfly.

"His name is Kai." She announces.

"That's really sweet." I smile at her.

"Be free Kai. Fly away from here!" Alia exclaims, lifting her finger towards the sky.

The butterfly lifts itself from her finger, flying off above the trees.

"I promise, we'll be like Kai. We'll get out of here." I say.

"You promise?" She asks, holding out her pinky.

"Promise." I say, locking pinkies with Alia.


	32. Day Fourteen of The Games

**Squintz! Wtf?! Where have you been, you mama?! Well, I've been super busy xD Finals, cheer, and writin' other stories on Quotev. But that don't matter. I'm back, and I'm ready to write myself to death. Please don't hate me for being gone for 28 days xD Happy new year! (: ~Squintz**

_Day Fourteen of The Games -_

**District Six Tribute: Carter Woods**

I can't bear it any longer. Being alone in this Arena does crazy things to your head... And you always think you hear something. To have something always in your head, driving you to keep going, is sort of am inspiration to stay alive. It's almost a force... I hate it, but it's got some value. Sanity is worth more, though...

I remember at the beginning of these Games... When I had nothing to worry about, because I was sane. Well, at least... Averagely sane. Now, everything is upside down. I've been thinking about Lani every day, and using that as a driving force, instead. It's stronger than the natural urge to remain living. Death is worth a price though... One I won't pay.

"Hey," A voice sounds out from behind me.

I quickly draw my knife, turning around. It's an actual voice. A real Tribute stands there. She has dried blood on her face and hands, all over her clothes. Even on her lips. Is she a cannibal? Oh my god... I can't take this...

"I'm not going to hurt you." She says, plopping down on her butt in the middle of the forest.

She puts her head in her hands.

"I tried to kill somebody, but it didn't work... I got bombarded... I just want to go home... I don't care about winning anymore..." She whispers.

I slowly walk over, still holding my knife. I crouch down beside her, and look into her eyes.

"You know... This is a sick thing they do..." I murmur, tilting her chin up.

"But I think with a little team work... We'll be able to get out..." I smile, and she smiles back.

"You're District Six, right?" She asks.

"Carter Woods." I nod.

"District Seven, Jade." She says, shaking my hand as I help her up.

"A pleasure to be of your assistance." I reply.

Finally, I'm not alone...

**District One Tribute: Hunter D'Agosto**

"Where's my survival knife?" Aurora asks, bursting through the brush.

I look up, lifting my eyebrows.

"Why do you need it? I thought you were picking berries." I say.

"There's a mu-" She's cut off as an enormous wolf mutt pounces on her from behind.

"Come on!" I yell, grabbing her by the arm and yanking her out from under the mutt.

It chases after us quickly, and as I turn to look at it, it somehow sprouts two more legs in between the ones it already has. I shove Aurora ahead, forcing her to keep going. I yell at her to go, to run, and she does. But, I still nip at her heels. I keep pushing her, and she informs me to watch out. She goes flying over a ditch, and I do the same. Another mutt jumps out from the ditch, spit flying from its mouth.

"Run! Run!" I yell, shoving Aurora harder.

The mutt tears off the back of my jacket, and I let out an angry scream at Aurora. She keeps running, but I can hear her breathing, and she can't hold up for much longer.

"Go! Go! Go, Aurora! Go!" I shriek.

Two more mutts appear, running alongside Aurora and I on either side. I scream at Aurora to run faster, but she won't speed up. Aurora stumbles, and I trip over her. She falls, too. And then everything is in slow motion. My hearing goes out, and everything is suddenly in focus. I turn backwards, painfully slow as I'm falling, and yank my hidden mace from underneath my jacket. I slam it into the side of a mutt's face, and slowly, spit flies from the mutt's muzzle as its claws go raking down my chest.

I scream in pain, and then my heartbeat picks up. The mutt roars in my face, and then goes to bite. But I smash the mace against the center of its head, and it swings to the side. Quickly, I dive out from under the mutt, running as fast as I can. Aurora screams my name as she gets up, reaching for me. But she can't. It's too late. I see the mutt lunge forward, landing atop her. And then they all surround her. I just keep on running, continuing to look forward.

Every detail is too gruesome to handle.

**Sorry! It's short because it's foreshadowing a bit, and I'm really tired... And I'm really busy xD Hope you enjoyed! Please Review!**


	33. Day Fifteen of The Games

**Alright, are you ready for the good chapter? ;) I hope you enjoy this! Please leave a Review with your thoughts, and tell me how you feel about it x3 Enjoy! ~Squintz P.S. A little bit of a shocker in this one;) Hope you enjoy it!**

_Day Fifteen of The Games -_

**District Eight Tribute: Toro Breckenridge**

Vance and I walk through the woods, running really low on supplies. We've been looking for the Cornucopia, having given up on the task of finding the river. Luckily, we had water. But, the both of us were starving... Badly. And tired.

"I'm tired..." Vance mutters, stepping on a large rock, and then jumping down.

"I know... Me too... But we gotta find something." I say.

"Let's just kill something." Vance whines.

"I haven't seen anything around here. No animals, nothing." I reply.

"I just... I'm really hungry... And tired... And I wanna go home..." Vance tells me, kicking a pile of leaves.

Suddenly, a dark figure dashes along the ground from the leaves, hiding behind a bush. I blink hard at Vance, and then slowly walk over to the bush. A little growl emerges from within the foliage, and I step back a bit. Then, a small wolf-like mutt dives out from the brush. It slams into my chest, knocking me back onto the ground. I stare at Vance, who is frozen with fear. Neither of us know what is going to happen...

The mutt is growling, and showing me its fangs. I stare at it head on, and then it yips and squeaks, licking my face. I get covered in slobber while attempting to shove the young mutt off of me. It barks at me, wagging its tail and circling my feet.

"Please go away..." I say, pushing the small mutt away.

Vance and I begin walking again, but the crunch of leaves behind us makes us stop. I turn around, and see the mutt sitting there, wagging its tail.

"Go back home, little guy," Vance tells the mutt.

The mutt dashes up a tree, and then a bunch of birds go flying from the tree. It returns down the trunk, sitting in front of us. It spits out a large bird at my feet, wagging its tail some more and barking.

"I think it wants to help us." Vance says, kneeling down and petting the mutt's head.

Its tongue lolls out, and he nuzzles Vance's arm.

"Or spy on us." I say, gesturing to the left eye of the little mutt.

A camera moves around, replacing the real eye the mutt was generated with. However, the right eye is perfectly normal. It must be weird to see out of one eye...

"Let's just keep him. He helped us, after all." Vance smiles.

"Sure." I shrug, taking the bird and then walking into a tiny clearing.

"Help me get a fire going, and we'll cook this." I say.

"Alright! Hmm... His name will be... Scamp! Scamp, go get some more of these." Vance tells the mutt, who yips happily and dashes off.

At least now we've got a guard dog... Thing...

**District One Tribute: Hunter D'Agosto**

I wake up on the ground, feeling a heavy pressure on top of me. Then, I feel something cold on my neck. My eyes fling open, and I see Aurora atop me, pinning me to the ground. She smirks. Blood covers her face, and her entire body. She has an enormous bandage around her neck and her arm.

"You left me... And you ran... You didn't even look back." She growls, her crazed smirk dancing through my mind.

"I-I'm sorry... I thought they got you." I whisper.

"Did you even hear a cannon?!" Aurora yells.

"You're a traitor." She spits at me.

"I am not." I say.

"You are. And now, you will pay. Say goodbye to your little love, Nick... I know he'll enjoy watching this..." Aurora smirks cruelly at me, pressing the knife deeper into my skin.

I yell out in agony as the knife begins to cut away at my flesh, and I throw all my might against her. She goes back a little, and I use it as an advantage. I punch her in the jaw, and then square in the face. Her head flies back, blood spurting out from her nose. I smile in pleasure at the sight, wondering how my ally became my worst enemy.

"I'm going to kill you!" She shrieks, grabbing me by the neck.

I force my own hands around her throat, and we begin choking eachother. With each given second, she tightens her hands around my throat, and mine tighten around her's. I see her lips turning blue, and her face turning a crimson red. I smile, and feel myself getting dizzy. She smirks back, and then I let go. Aurora lunges forward, releasing my throat as I take in a deep breath. I grab her hair, yanking her off of me, and then standing up.

I drag her to a tree, and then force her up. I grab her arms, pushing them behind her back, and then slamming her face into the tree. Over and over again, I bash her head in. She turns around, blood all over her face, and kicks me right in the stomach. I stagger back a bit, and she dives at me. I lunge to the side, but she catches my arm. I feel a stabbing pain shoot up my body from my forearm, and look towards my hand.

I can't move my arm, because Aurora has dug the knife through my forearm, and into the ground. She smiles, walking towards me as I attempt to pull the knife from my skin. It hurts unbelievably bad, and keeps my movement limited. I turn to Aurora as she approaches, kneeling down in front of me.

"Guess this is the end, right?" She grins, holding up her back-up knife.

"I guess so..." I trail off, looking towards the knife.

With a final burst of adrenaline, I manage to dislodge the knife, and I plunge it into Aurora's eye. She falls backwards, sending dust up. And a cannon booms out. I stand up, panting heavily. I look at the endless amount of blood that gushes from my arm, and reach for my bandages in my pack. I quickly wrap the wound, putting pressure on it as I begin to walk. I don't know where I'm going, but as long as it's somewhat safe, I'll be perfectly happy...

**District Four Tribute: Lotsear Maver**

"Do you ever wonder what's happening... At home... Right now?" Emiliana asks me, stopping her sharpening of her shark knives to look up at me.

Fortunately, I could actually be myself around Emiliana, now that District Five is asleep on the ground. She's bundled up in a sleeping bag in front of the fire. I couldn't sleep, and Emiliana had night watch. I was smart enough, though. To know that Emiliana was tricky enough to try and pull a swift kill in the night.

"Yeah, I wonder... I mean, I constantly think about my Kalli... But, I just... Try not to. It's much easier that way..." I catch myself rambling, so I stop talking.

"Hmm... I guess you're right," Emiliana says, coming and sitting beside me.

"I just... Try not to think..." I start trailing off, noticing how intensely Emiliana is looking at me, "About... It..."

Emiliana begins leaning forward, and her mouth opens slightly. I just sit there for a second, until my desires catch up with my brain, and I push my lips against her's, tangling my hands in her hair. She wraps her arms around my neck, kissing me with a fiery aggression. I close my eyes, savoring the moment.

I know this is wrong... I know Kalliroe's watching, even though it's about midnight. I just... I can't think straight. I know I'm on camera, now... And Emiliana knows it, too... This just doesn't seem like her.

She pushes me down so that I'm on my back on the log, and she's on top of me, straddling my waist. I slowly pull away from her, shaking my head.

"This... Isn't right." I say quietly.

"Oh, come on... You know this is what you want," She says, giving me a manipulative, knowing smile.

"I..." I can't speak.

"Exactly..." She grins, going in to kiss me again.

**District Twelve Tribute: Pyralis Kolton**

"Pie..." Alia whispers from her sleeping bag, cuddling her teddy bear.

I look over, tilting my head.

"Hm?" I ask.

"I... I can't sleep... I don't feel good..." Alia murmurs.

"Really?" I scoot over closer, pressing my palm to her forehead.

She's pretty warm.

"Alright... Well, just try and go to sleep, okay?" I ask her, playing with her hair.

"Okay..." Alia replies, hugging her teddy bear tighter.

I brush her hair behind her ears, smiling as she closes her eyes. I wait until she drifts to sleep, and then begin darkening the fire, so nobody will find us. I can't risk losing her. We're almost out...

**R.I.P.**

**Aurora Cierce**


	34. Day Sixteen of The Games

**Hey hey hey! :3 Squintz is here with another chapter! I hope you all like this one, because it's almost the end. Woot woot! Let's do this! XD Leave a Review with your thoughts! Here we go! :D ~Squintz**

_Day Sixteen of The Games -_

**District Five Tribute: Talon Kotka**

I wake up, feeling an unpleasant tugging around my wrists. I open my eyes slowly, afraid of what may be in front of me. But there's nothing there. I turn my head, seeing Emiliana tying my hands behind a tree. I struggle, and she smirks.

"I see somebody's awake. Finally." She says, standing up.

"What are you _doing_?!" I yell.

"What's right." Emiliana says, yanking out a small thermos from her pack.

"No, stop! Where's Lotsear?!" I scream.

"She's sleeping." Emiliana replies, pulling out a small match.

My eyes widen, and I realize what's going to happen... Emiliana is going to burn me alive. I try to escape, writhing, twisting, and squirming. But nothing works. She tied the knots much too tight. I drop my head in defeat.

"Well, Talon. It's been a great run with you. Sorry we've got to stop. But I have business to attend to..." She tells me.

"Like what?" I hiss.

She crouches down, looking me in the eye.

"After I gain Lotsear's trust with my lovey dovey act, I'll kill her. That way she'll never figure out any of my traces. But in order to that, I have to eliminate you. And then the rest of the Tributes in this Arena. And what better way than setting fire to the forest, to allow it to spread like the wildfire these Games are?" Emiliana smiles at me, swiping the match across the side of my shoe.

It catches fire, and she laughs at the fear in my eyes.

"Say goodbye to your family, and hello to Alister for me." Emiliana tosses the match on my lap, and I begin to panic.

"Bye bye," She says, walking off.

I try and blow on the match, attempting to put it out. But it spreads across my lap, going onto my legs. I scream in pain as I begin to feel the layers of my clothes tear away from the heat. I struggle even harder to escape, my body going into overdrive. I viciously try to tear at the knots on each wrist, but I can't get careful hold. I yell for help, then feel the burns progressively get worse. The fire begins to burn at my stomach, and I can feel my skin tear just like my clothes. I'm going to die here, all by myself...

**District Seven Tribute: Jade Arctics**

After being reunited with Carter, we had to relocate our camp, due to some mutts prowling around the area. We'd been walking for hours, and my feet were aching. I wanted to stop, but Carter carried me halfway, then I walked again.

"Did you hear that?" Carter asks quietly, stopping dead in his tracks.

"No. What?" I ask, listening closely.

"It sounds like somebody's screaming." He replies.

Just then, I hear it. The blood curdling scream that comes from the distance. I notice Carter begin running after the noise, so I follow him. We run a long time, until we stumble across a fire. Inside the fire, a girl is screaming as loud as she can. I cough from all the smoke, and Carter rushes in to save her. I scream, now. Worried Carter won't come out. First I lose Douglas, now Carter... No, I won't let it happen.

"Jade! Jade, come help!" Carter yells.

I run into the fire, seeing Carter struggling to untie the District Five girl from a tree. I get behind the tree, untying her wrists. She's burning. And the fire is rapidly spreading up to her neck.

"We have to help!" Carter screams, trying to help the girl as I drag him out of the fire with all my strength.

A cannon booms out, and I shake my head, catching my breath. Carter coughs, lying on his back.

"Some people just weren't meant to be saved... Some extents cannot be fixed... She'd have died anyway..." I whisper, "I'm sorry."

"Let's go before this fire kills us, too." Carter says, swinging his pack over his shoulders and walking on.

I don't complain. I only walk after him, watching as the fire begins spreading slowly in the opposite direction.

**District One Tribute: Hunter D'Agosto**

I look up from my bloody arm bandages, seeing a parachute lying across from me. I blink hard, dragging myself over to the fallen object. I open up the small case, seeing a first aid kit inside. I smile, and then yank out the little orange suitcase. I open it up, quickly taking out the bandages. I re-wrap my arm, then indulge in the little snacks that are inside the first aid kit. I eat a little bag of berries, then stand and put the rest of the stuff in my pack.

I stand up slowly, hearing the padding of feet behind me. I turn around, then see a small mutt jump from the foliage. It yips, then growls and hisses, its tail straightening high in the air. It lets out a roar, then grows huge right in front of my eyes, and pounces down on me. I scream in pain, feeling the enormous claws go running down my arms. I try to roll out from under the mutt, when I hear voices.

"Scamp! Here, Scamp! Scamp?" A young boy's voice calls.

The mutt yips, and then shrinks back down to its original size. It scampers off to the boy, who stares at me with wide eyes. I run at the mutt, grabbing it by the jaw and neck, and then twisting. A crack is heard, and the boy stares at me, his eyes wide. Another boy comes out from behind the brush, a taller boy. The District Eight boy.

"He... He killed Scamp." The younger boy whispers.

"That thing tried to kill me!" I yell.

"And now I will!" The young boy comes at me in a fit of rage, beating against my chest.

"Vance!" District Eight yells at him, "Stop it!"

I feel a stabbing pain in my shoulder, realizing he's just stabbed me with a pocketknife. I grab him by the hair, shoving him back with all my might. He hits his head on a rock, and then goes limp. A cannon booms out, and the District Eight boy stares at me. He looks around, then shakes his head and goes running off. One more Tribute gone, one more to get killed.

**District Three Tribute: Reuben Wires**

I had run off by myself in the earlier hours to find something to eat. With major success, I was ready to return. The only problem was that it was already sun down, and Neon was probably freaking out. I began walking, and the sky progressed into darkness. I heard the Capitol anthem, and then the pictures of today's kills came on screen.

The Capitol boy, Vance, appears on screen, and then the girl from District Five, Talon Kotka. The anthem finishes, and the sky goes dark again. The usual sounds of night return to the Arena. The crickets, the animals stirring in the woods, and the nearby rush of water. I feel serene, and continue on walking without disturbance.

I hear the faint sound of howling, which does put me on alert. But it still doesn't take away the calm feeling I have. I quickly pick up my pace as I feel worry set in, as I begin thinking of Neon. I then experience full blown panic, and I start running. I keep running, and the roar of my blood is so loud in my ears, that I don't even hear the sound of footsteps approaching me.

I slam right into a Tribute, tackling them to the ground. I blink hard, then my vision focuses. It's Neon. She's crying. I hug her tight, and she sobs into my shoulder.

"I couldn't find you all day... I was so worried... You... You scared me!" She cries, punching me in the chest with all her might... Which isn't a lot.

I sit still, holding her tight and rocking her back and forth.

"It's okay. I'm here, now... I'm sorry..." I coax, brushing my fingers through her hair as I comfort her.

"Don't ever do that again." She demands in a whimper.

"You have my word... I'm sorry..." I say again, allowing her to finish sobbing.

We stand up, and walk hand in hand back to the camp. Without a single word said until we eat.

"I saw that District Five and the Capitol boy were killed today." I manage to bring up.

"Me too... I heard the really close cannon... The first one. Who do you think went first?" Neon asks, chewing on a slice of apple.

"I don't know. But I'd have to say the kid," I shrug.

"Probably..." Neon whispers.

"We're just kids, too." She adds.

"I know. But we're smart." I smile, poking her nose.

"Yeah... Who do you think killed him?" She asks me.

"Somebody really big... And really strong." I guess.

"That girl from Two is strong. So is Four... All the competitors left are the strongest..." Neon frowns.

"We're still here." I say.

She chuckles half-heartedly, then curls up in her sleeping bag.

"I'll stay awake during the nights from now on. And when I get tired, I'll sleep during the day." I nod.

"Alright... Goodnight, Reuben..." Neon says quietly.

"Goodnight, Neon." I smile to myself, leaning against a tree, and keeping watch.

**R.I.P.**

**Talon Kotka**

**Vance Rowland**


	35. Day Seventeen of The Games

**Yo yo yo! It's Squintzizzle up in dis shizizzle! Anywaiz, this is an epic showdown... Even though it's short. The next three chapters are the end 3: Leave a Review, and enjoy ^-^ ~Squintz**

_Day Seventeen of The Games -_

**District Four Tribute: Lotsear Maver**

"So, Lotsear..." Emiliana grins, strolling over to me with her hands behind her back.

I sit propped against a tree, sharpening the sides of my sword. I sit upright, a bit more alert. I want to know what's behind her hands.

"So?" I ask, setting down my sharpening stone.

"So... I was just thinking..." She sits down in front of me, crawling forward with one hand behind her back.

"Thinking wh-"

Suddenly, she lunges forward, her arm moving in one swift motion. I see her shark knife, and then feel a horrid stinging in my face. I scream in pain as I realized she's just clawed me with the knife. Blood drips down my arm, and I'm not caught by surprise from her actions. She goes to stab me in the stomach, and I snatch her arm.

I quickly twist her arm behind her back, throwing her face down onto the ground. She yells in fury, and then gets up, running at me. I grab my sword, turning to face her. But she's too close, so I dive to the side. She ends up stabbing the tree, and has to yank out her knife. But this takes her time.

I charge at her, and then tackle her to the floor. The knife comes out, scratching my back. Nothing too severe. I grab her wrist, turning the knife to face her. I slowly force it down towards her throat.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Emiliana struggles under my grasp, but she has no match.

"What? You didn't think you'd succeed, right?" I laugh.

"In what?!" Emiliana yells.

"You thought you could play me. But what you didn't know, is that I'm also a master of deception." I scoff.

"Yeah, sure." She rolls her eyes.

"I can act pretty well. You believed I was oblivious. The only person I'll ever love is my Kalliroe. And you know... You're a pretty good actress, too." I chuckle, forcing the knife closer to her throat.

"Whatever." Emiliana hisses.

"So, now... I'll show you that I'm the best there is, not only at deception... But at being victorious... Being the Victor." I declare, sliding the knife across her throat quickly.

Emiliana chokes, holding her throat tight. I smile at her, then yank her knife from her hand. I throw it as far as I can, and it goes hurdling into the distance. I turn back to her, then smile.

"I was always one step ahead of you, Emiliana... Always." I say, grabbing my sword and walking off.

As soon as the cannon booms out, I stop, look back, and smile. Then, I continue walking.

**District Three Tribute: Neon Watts**

Reuben and I had finally agreed on a system. I would go out and gather berries, and he would sneak around and try to steal food from Tributes. I had successfully gathered three bags of berries, and I was returning back to camp. I was so excited to see Reuben... And I was so excited to show him all my findings. I cross over a log that's over a pond, and then jump down, walking into the woods.

I finally return to camp, finding the entire site to be empty. My eyes widen, and I look around. I set down the berries, and then call out for Reuben.

"Reuben?" I holler, cupping my hands around my mouth.

"Reuben?!" I yell again.

"Neon!" I hear a scream in response.

My heart lurches in panic, and I go running for him. Then, I realize this might be a joke... Reuben does like to freak me out. I keep running, though. Then, I hear my name again and stop.

"This better not be a joke!" I scream at him.

"It's not!" He yells back, then lets out a scream that sounds painful.

"Reuben!" I scream again, running even faster.

My heart beat picks up, roaring in my ears. And then, I see Reuben. He lies on the ground, blood all over his face, neck, and chest. I scream, running over and crouching by his side. He looks up at me, a sad smile on his face.

"Hi." He smiles, blood all over his teeth and lips.

"What... What happened?" I whisper.

"A mutt... I think... A big, cat, wolf thing... It pounced on me, and-" Reuben stops to cough, blood oozing from his mouth.

"No, no... It's okay. I can fix it..." I say, opening my pack as tears stream down my face.

"Neon..." Reuben whispers.

"I promise, I can fix it... I can." I try to assure myself it will be okay, but I can't do anything to help him.

"Neon... It's okay..." Reuben says, putting his hand atop mine.

"I don't want you to leave me," I mutter.

"Everything happens for a reason..." Reuben chokes on his blood, shaking his head.

"I love you... You gave me everything, Reuben. You made me happy... And you... You made me believe that somebody actually cared about me... And noticed me," I cry even harder, trembling beside him.

"I love you, too..." He smiles, then closes his eyes.

A cannon suddenly booms out, and I scream in fear. I've lost him. I quickly try CPR, pressing on his chest and trying to force him to breathe. I stop, looking at the blood all over my hands. Reuben's blood.

I can't stand this... I just want to be home, where I was ignored... I lie there and cry myself to sleep, hoping the hovercraft picks me up with him...

**R.I.P.**

**Emiliana Vincere**

**Reuben Wires**


	36. Day Eighteen of The Games

**We're so close to the end... Well, this SYOT has been a lot of fun. Very, very, fun. I loved all the characters, and I've become attached to them... And it kills me to bring an end to it all, but there's a new beginning! The 525th Hunger Games! Anyway, enjoy this chapter, and leave a Review telling about who was your favorite character, why, and how far you think they should've gone. ~Squintz**

_Day Eighteen of The Games -_

**District Six Tribute: Carter Woods**

"Carter!" I listen to the faint shout of my name, and slowly stir on the crunchy leaves beneath me.

"Carter!" The voice yells again.

This time, more panicked.

I sit up, and rub my eyes. I look around, seeing no sign of Jade. And then my mind starts working, and I realize Jade is calling my name. I quickly stand up, running towards her voice.

"Carter! Carter, please!" She screams.

I run faster, faster and faster, and then see Hunter D'Agosto clamp his hand over her mouth. Quickly, I yank out my pocketknife, and do the only thing I can do from this far: I throw the knife.

Hunter turns to look, as the whizzing knife goes through the air. My jaw drops in disbelief as the knife hits him right in the eye, sending blood spurting out everywhere. He drops to his knees, and then falls backwards in an awkward motion. A cannon booms out, and Jade comes running at me. She hugs me tight, and I hug her back.

"It's okay, you're okay..." I whisper as she begins to break down.

I pull away from her tight embrace, and she brushes back her hair. Red imprints of fingers cover her throat, and she moves it back to cover her neck.

"You're okay," I smile, kissing her forehead.

"Thanks, Carter. I'm glad to be with you again." She tells me.

"Come on, let's get you to bed... We're one step closer to the end." I whisper.

**District Four Tribute: Lotsear Maver**

I storm through the woods, my entire body aching from hunger and fatigue. I haven't eaten in three days, and my stomach is killing me. I stumble across a bush of berries, and then examine them closely. I hear someone coming, and then dive into the bush. I chow down on the berries as I watch District Twelve walking along, carrying his pickaxe. I smirk, knowing this will be an easy kill, and once he's gone, I can eat in peace.

I grip my sword's handle, then swing it forward as I dive from the bushes. Pyralis whips around, slinging his pickaxe around him in a half circle. Our weapons clash, and I use all my power to force his pickaxe closer to his chest. He fights back, though. I pull back my sword as quickly as possible, and then swing it towards him. He ducks, and then attempts to hit me in the head with his pickaxe. I copy his moves, ducking, and then lunging at him. Fortunately, for me, he attempts to turn and my sword catches him right in the gut.

He drops his pickaxe, slamming into the floor and holding his stomach. Blood seeps from his stomach, and I can barely see a hint of his intestines bursting out of the wound. I nod, and he looks at me with desperate eyes.

"P-Please... Put me out of this." He says, his entire body trembling.

"No problem," I reply, raising my sword, and then plunging it through his stomach.

He lets out a small, sound of pain. And then his whole body relaxes. I lean down, close his eyes, proud of him for being so brave. I remove my sword, take his pickaxe, and set it over his chest. I hear the cannon sound, and then I walk back to my berry bush, still extremely hungry.

**District Eight Tribute: Toro Breckenridge**

"Looks like it's winding down to the finale, Toro..." I tell myself, listening to the ambiance of the nighttime Arena.

I put my hands behind my head, staring up at the stars. The cool breeze reminds me of home, back in District Eight... Everything seems so much simpler there, now that I'm here in the Arena... And I've made it this far. I smile, remembering the earlier gesture that my dad performed. When he gave me the chocolates, reminding me of our goodbyes. I chuckle, and then fall silent when I hear a distant screaming, and the sound of a tree getting knocked over.

"Spoke too soon." I mutter, sitting up.

I look into the darkness, and slowly get out of my sleeping bag. All of a sudden, Neon Watts of District Three comes dashing through the forest, screaming at the top of her lungs. Blood drips from her arms and her back, and claw marks cover her arms. Even a few bites. I watch as she goes soaring over the small pit trap I set beside my sleeping bag, and keeps running. I look back to the forest, and then see two trees collapse.

An enormous mutt emerges from the trees, and lets out a mighty roar. My eyes barely have time to register the animal before I take off running. All I noticed was the eight spider like legs, the snake head, and the lashing, spiked lizard tail. I keep running, hearing the thudding of each individual leg as the mutt pursues me. I catch up with Neon, and she's panting for her breath. I easily pass her up, my legs carrying me quickly. I attempt to reach for her, when she lets out a murderous scream, and then gets dragged backwards by the mutt's web. A cannon booms out, causing my body to work faster. I continue running, and the Cornucopia comes in sight...

I know this is the end of the Games... What I don't know, is if I'll make it out alive.

**R.I.P.**

**Hunter D'Agosto**

**Pyralis Kolton**

**Neon Watts**


	37. The Finale

**It's the finale... Are you excited? I know I am... Get ready for a show down! :D Here we go... Enjoy, and leave a Review!(: This SYOT has been loads of fun! ~Squintz P.S. This chapter takes place on the night of the last chapter!**

_The Finale -_

**District Seven Tribute: Jade Arctics**

I sit up in my sleeping bag, feeling a bit off. Screams and roars echo throughout the forest, and I get up quickly. I stuff my sleeping bag in my pack, then stand up. As soon as I do, I hear a loud cannon boom out. Close to me. The Capitol anthem blares out, and the face of the District Three girl appears. I swiftly pick up my pace, and then begin running. I can hear the footsteps of somebody, or something behind me. I don't want to look back, because I fear what I may see.

So, I keep on running. Then, I hear a horrible screeching. I turn around, and see the hideous mutt battling it out with Toro. Toro yells and stabs at the monster's legs, cutting enormous gashes in the mutt's spider legs. The mutt screeches out, its enormous snake fangs appearing. I stumble backwards, and fall on my butt. I sit there, still. Watching the entire scene in front of me.

The mutt hisses in Toro's face, snatching him up by his shirt color. Toro screams in fright, kicking and trying to escape as the mutt raises its head as high as it can go. I can only stare in horror, and then I cover my eyes. Toro takes his knife, plunging it into the nose of the mutt. The snake-headed beast lets out another roar, throwing Toro to the ground like a rag doll. There's a loud crack, and Toro is still. But, no cannon.

I guess the mutt is programmed, because it picks Toro up again, swinging him around relentlessly and bashing him into trees. Toro's body is limp, letting out cracks and pops of all sorts with every hit. Then, a cannon booms out. And the mutt throws its head backwards, releasing Toro's body into the air. Toro's body hits the ground with a loud thump, and then a crane quickly scoops him up.

I then see the mutt's cat-like eyes lock on me, and I bolt out of there before I can even tell where I'm going.

**District Four Tribute: Lotsear Maver**

I walk through the nighttime woods, the air calm and gentle. So far, two cannons have gone off in the same hour. This frightens me a little, because I'm almost positively sure that it's the finale. And for the Quells, they always go out with a bang. I hold my sword extra tight, afraid that if I let go, things will take a turn for the worst. I quickly rub my eyes, trying to stay awake. Then, I hear a blood-curdling howl. I shiver, and then turn.

Red, orange, and yellow eyes peer through the bushes. I'm screwed. As fast as my feet can carry me, I dash off. I know these mutts are supposed to push me to the Cornucopia, so that's where I'll go. I run faster and faster, and then everything stops when I smash into another Tribute. I yell out, and then see my sword has accidentally caught the other Tribute by the leg. Blood seeps everywhere, and she struggles to get on her feet.

Instantly, I recognize the District Seven girl. She reaches up for my hand, but I shake my head. I can't help her. She would die anyway, soon. I turn and see the mutts rapidly approaching, and make up my mind...

I run off, leaving the screaming girl there. She shrieks for help, crawling after me, but I easily outrun her. When I finally reach the edge of the forest, I dart through the brush, and see District Six rushing into the mouth of the Cornucopia.

This is it.

I smile in relief, finally knowing I can maybe get home... There's a single shot at this. I cannot mess it up.

I pick up my pace, now pushing my body past its voluntary limit. As I speed forward, I notice a large mutt appear through the brush. A hideous spider-looking mutt. Its roar chills my bones, and just as I enter the Cornucopia, I'm thrown onto the metal ground. Carter Woods stands over me, his face bloodied, bruised, and cut. He holds a small pocketknife, and points it at my throat.

**District Six Tribute: Carter Woods**

"I _will _go home." I tell Lotsear, tears stinging at my eyes.

"And I will _never _stop fighting for the one I love," Lotsear hisses, sliding between my legs, and then grabbing my arm.

She yanks it behind my back, and then shoves me forward. I hit the Cornucopia surface with a loud bang, and my head starts spinning. I wince in pain, and then roll onto my back. She goes to stab me, and I quickly grab her sword by the blade. Blood instantly begins leaking from my hand, and I try to will the sword back. As soon as it's far enough from my chest to allow me movement, I roll to the side.

She forces the sword down, and it hits the floor of the Cornucopia. Then, she drops the sword and comes running at me. I swiftly get to my feet, and throw a punch at her. But she ducks, and slams her shoulder into my stomach, forcing me against the wall. I cough as she reaches for my throat, and then I punch her right in the eye.

She releases her grip, and I dive right back at her. I use all my weight, and pin her to the ground. I grab my knife, and hold it at her throat. She swallows hard, and shakes her head.

"I never thought it'd end quite like this, you know?" She asks, a tear rolling down the side of her face.

"I thought maybe I could win this and finally please my mom, who is always too busy never giving a single shit to care about me... And I thought maybe I could get out for Kalliroe... But nothing ever works in my book, does it?" She yells, angry tears pouring from her eyes.

"Go ahead! Kill me! It's what they all want! It's what everybody wants! Kill me! The entire nation is watching!" She screams.

"No." I say, shaking my head.

"Isn't it what you want?! To kill me? To win?" She asks, chewing her bottom lip viciously.

"I-I can't." I say, helping Lotsear up.

"You aren't going to kill me?" She asks.

"No, I just needed a little push!" I yell, shoving her outside the Cornucopia to all the mutts.

In moments, the mutts are surrounding her, ripping her to shreds. Until, finally, the spider mutt appears, and yanks her limbs apart, and then swallows her up. A cannon booms out, and I look to the sky, leaving the Cornucopia. The mutts disappear, and I'm lifted slowly from the place that I was once stuck in...

A place similar to hell, just not so far away...

**R.I.P.**

**Toro Breckenridge**

**Jade Arctics**

**Lotsear Maver**


	38. The Victor

**The very final chapter. I'm glad you guys enjoyed this story, and I'm sorry it's taken me a while... I've been SUPER busy. Thanks for being so patient with me! And thank you so much for reading and Reviewing! Enough of my rambling, though. Let's get to the crowning. :) ~Squintz**

_The Crowning Of The Victor -_

**District Six Tribute: Carter Woods**

As I walk up the steps to the President's balcony, I take a good look at my hands. They're all clean, all dirt-free. Just like they were before I went into the Games. But, now, they seem different. Kind of like... The dirt will never be removed. The dirt from the Games is permanently etched into me... The dirty hands of a killer.

Though, I have been coping alright with the idea that I killed somebody... After all, it was just a competition, right? I just hope for the best, and I hope that people will look upon me with a newly found respect back in District Six. I feel like a totally new person, on top of the world, and able to do anything... And, I still can't believe that I'm still alive. I'm still here, in reality...

Suddenly, I'm brought back to life by the screams of the Capitol. The vicious fans are all on their feet, cheering for me. I smile shyly, and wave to all the people. I walk to the President, and shake his hand. He smiles at me, his teeth a bright white.

"Citizens of The Capitol," The President announces, "It is with great pride, and fantastic honor, that I crown Carter Woods of District Six the Victor of the 475th Annual Quarter Quell!"

The Capitol cheers even louder than before, the entire crowd on its feet. I wave again, and the President takes the crown, gently setting it atop my head. When he does, he turns me to the crowd, and waves wildly. I wave, watching the crowd cheer and shriek for me. A group of girls is chanting my name in their high-pitched, Capitol accents.

"We are so proud of you, and we wish to see you mentoring Tributes for the next Hunger Games!" President Rain declares.

I smile, my cheeks beginning to hurt a bit, as I continue to wave to the crowd.

I can't wait until Interviews, and then the Victory Tour. Where I can finally see Lani.

_The Victor's Interview -_

I suck in a deep breath as I stand in the exact spot I stood the night before the Games... That felt so long ago... I hear my name being called by Cadmus Flickerman, and I walk onto the stage. I wave a few times, a smile on my face as I shake Cadmus' hand, and then sit down in the chair I was in about two weeks ago.

"It's wonderful to have you back!" Cadmus exclaims, taking a sip of water.

"It's wonderful to see you, again," I say with a smile.

"Alright, I'm just going to ask you a few questions. And then you can take a break from the limelight." Cadmus laughs.

The crowd laughs as well, and I manage to chuckle.

"Alright, go ahead." I nod.

"So, how was it when you were waiting during the Countdown? Thrilling? Scary? Exciting?" Cadmus asks.

I decide to be all-too-truthful, and shake my head.

"It feels like you're heading right into the unknown, knowing what _could _happen... You know?" I ask.

The crowd chatters quietly amongst themselves, and I fiddle with my hands.

"Okay, moving on... What was running through your mind when Bandit was killed? I mean, that must've been quite the shocker to you. Right?" Cadmus asks.

"Of course it shocked me that it happened right then... But, you know... I knew it would happen. Nobody could've survived an injury that severe..." I say, my guts wrenching as I remember the horrific carnage, and the disgusting stench of Bandit's wound.

"You're right... But maybe we could've saved her!" Cadmus exclaims, getting dozens of laughs from the crowd.

When the laughter dies down, Cadmus continues.

"Many Capitolites are dying to know why you abandoned Jade Arctics of District Seven so early in the Games... Your reasons?" Cadmus asks.

I sigh, "I'm not one to do that, normally... But, I did it because I just had a feeling that day... That something was gonna happen... But nothing ended up happening. I think it was mostly because I was a little spooked... In the end, I regretted leaving her. But when we found eachother again, it was all okay."

"Deep... Incredibly moving." Cadmus smiles, then he looks at me.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the Victor of the 475th Annual Quarter Quell!" He shouts, standing and holding my arm up.


End file.
